


The Vampire and the Beast, Part 1

by SlytherinPride2292



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Mild Sexual Content, Threats of Violence, coarse language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-09 18:53:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 65,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5551463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherinPride2292/pseuds/SlytherinPride2292
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumplestiltskin is the village coward. Jennifer is the village monster. In a world that has made them feel unwanted and unloved, it was only natural for them to fall in love with one another. Alternate Universe in which Rumbelle doesn't exist. M for sadism, violence, and smut. Muahaha</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Love of the Outcasts

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is definitely going to be an alternate universe for OUAT. Personally, I am anti-Rumbelle for my own reasons. So my OC, Jennifer, will be taking the place of Rumple's true love. Don't like it? Go find a different story, or try writing your own. :)  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, plot lines, etc. from OUAT. :]

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, plot lines, etc. from OUAT. :]

Jennifer watched from the side lines as her village joined together in the prosperity of hope and happiness, in spite of the Ogre Wars that even now seemed unwinnable, and seemed to grow worse every day. Her family was partaking in the party, and were among the families who brought their own dish or recipe to the potluck. The camp fire was surrounded by lively chatter, few couples dancing along with the music orchestrated by instrumentalists, and young children who laughed together and played games.

Jennifer watched as a young girl and her brother glared daggers at her before they turned their curled lips and crinkled noses to join the party with the bigger kids, while Jennifer remained the usual outcast. She appeared to be eighteen years old, and while she had the glimmering eyes of blue that were coveted by the oceans, the long black locks that would put a raven's beautiful feathers to shame, and the soft tender lips which always held a kiss at the corner, Jennifer was an ugly site to the village. Her eighteen year old complexion was only a facade; at her true age, Jennifer was nearly 40 years old, having been bitten by the creature of the night 22 years ago. The now-adults told their children of her condition and she was regarded as an outcast, a social pariah.

The party itself was several feet from her in the open while she took her own shelter beneath the trees at the edge of the forest. Her eyes swam, but blinked back the tears. How many times had she felt so isolated, so alone. Her family, while accepting of her condition, were only afraid of her. Jennifer would see her parents, who were now in their seventies, cast her an uneasy look before turning to their neighbors, joining in with their celebration, forgetting what a monster their daughter had become, even if it had not been completely her fault.

Jennifer scowled, turning around so she didn't have to listen to the quelling rumors being told about her to the younger generation—she had become the thing that ghost stories were made of; acquiring her exceptional hearing, sight, and sense of smell had only added misery to her unusual plight. Jennifer was the village monster...if only they knew that she would walk for days to seek her pound of flesh just so she wouldn't have to feed off one of her parents' friends –she would leave for days and when she returned, the glares would intensify.

It was hard to have a monster as a daughter, Jennifer sympathized with her parents. But it was harder for her to know that she would never be truly accepted, not by the people who condemned her for the incident that happened five years ago. And while she could have tried to explain that being a vampire did have its perks—speed, agility, strength, and the ability to heal faster than the average human being were all nice perks—it was lost on the souls of the village. They never forgot that night.

She'd lost control, waited too long to feed.

A family friend had come back from the war, his face all cut up, and in the night while everyone had been presumably asleep, Jennifer sought him out, desperate to quiet the hunger inside her vampire belly. She only had a taste before the wife had awakened, chasing her out of the hut with a shovel, then a knife. Jennifer had escaped into the night, and when her parents had gone looking for her, she'd returned, expecting to receive forgiveness and sympathy but neither were given to her.

Instead, all she received were pious stares, and an increasingly large number of suspicious people who were only waiting for her to fuck up again and then...well, Jennifer knew it was only a matter of time before her parents turned on her. Soon, they would no longer be able to tell their friends to stop insulting her, to stop making their daughter feel more of an outcast than she really was. To compromise, Jennifer swore off attending any parties; sometimes, when the men and women became too drunk, they would aim their hatred for the ogres and transfer it to her.

There was no reasoning why they blamed her for the ogre wars for she'd done nothing to antagonize, but Jennifer didn't rule out the booze was a good source for the lack of rationality. To save her parents' the embarrassment and to save her the heart break of being rejected and misjudged, Jennifer remained in the outskirts of the village, watching everything slowly move from her, slowly leave her.

"It must be hard..."

Jennifer gasped softly, startled by the voice, turning around. Seeing Rumplestiltskin shift towards her on his cane, limping towards her from the direction of the party, Jennifer relaxed. She and Rumple were about the same age; he'd grown up with her in the same village.

They were practically friends of the friendless, having socialized here and there, and sometimes, he'd catch her watching him spin at the wheel while she would catch him watching her as he and his son, Baelfire, would take walks through the forest. There would have been a connection a lot earlier, but then Rumplestiltskin had married Milah, and Jennifer, who only wanted his happiness, never interfered.

Jennifer smiled at him weakly, before looking past him to the party where the children were now being told stories by their grandparents. Beside her, Rumplestiltskin watched as well. Jennifer could practically feel his own isolation; it wasn't lost on her why.

She had been surprised when he'd come back from the Ogre Wars, the rumors spreading like a brush fire about how he had injured himself so he wouldn't have to go to the front lines.

The village coward.

"How come you're not out there?" asked Jennifer, indicating the party with her eyes then looking at him. "Your son seems to be having fun; shouldn't you be with him?"

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her, but like her, he seemed to muster little courage to offer false optimism. He grunted slightly as he shifted the weight of his cane and better leg, sitting against a tree opposite of Jennifer, who watched him curiously. He looked up at her, the look on his face expressing sadness.

"He is having fun," Rumplestiltskin stated. "I won't ruin it for him."

"He loves you though," Jennifer offered knowingly. "And I am sure he'd love to have his father partake in this celebration, however depressing the circumstances are."

"I am not there to embarrass him, and I prefer it that way." Rumplestiltskin explained, watching Baelfire happily take a warm biscuit from one of the maidens who was going around with a large tray full of treats, adding to the festivities; Baelfire joined in with the laughter of the other children as they all got up, taking sticks and pretending fight with the make-believe swords.

Rumplestiltskin glanced at her as though to lighten mood, he said, "I saw you here, alone...again...and I thought maybe my company would be more appreciated here."

Jennifer nodded, understanding his point.

"Touching, Rumple." She chuckled.

He smiled when the small grin lit her beautiful features, but then a sad expression appeared on her face.

"But it's the same reason why I am not there. I would embarrass my parents." Jennifer uttered softly, watching her parents also take a warm biscuit, thanking the maiden sincerely before she continued off to offer to someone else.

"They used to not care," Jennifer said, leaning her back against a tree; as though it held no comfort to stand, she slowly sank to the soil, cradling her knees to her. Rumplestiltskin watched her.

Jennifer continued quietly, "Sometimes, I think they wish they never had me. It's better for them to pretend I was never born, that I never existed, than to admit that they have a monster. Who would be proud to say they have a vampire for a daughter."

She seemed to forget that he was there until she looked up. She quickly brushed a tear from her cheek, sniffling a little. Rumplestiltskin watched her for a moment, feeling uneasy as he was unable to offer any sentimental advice; he simply crawled over to her, sitting beside her.

"We've known each other for quite some time, Jennifer," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"Yes, we have," Jennifer agreed. "All our lives."

"So I should be the one to tell you that I know more than anyone that you are not a monster," Rumplestiltskin told her.

"Oh, but I am," Jennifer returned quietly. "You know there is not a single person in this place that would call me a 'friend'? My own parents look at me and I used to see love, affection and now I can't see anything in there anymore. There's nothing...nothing at all. And the children are scared of me—even your son. Everyone runs."

"I haven't," Rumplestiltskin reminded.

Jennifer smiled, saying, "Maybe there's a reason for that?"

Rumplestiltskin glanced at her uneasily, although he didn't seem quite so awkward. He was choosing not to say it aloud, the feelings he had for her, the ones that had been around even while Milah and he had still been together.

As though he remembered something, Rumplestiltskin suddenly reached inside his cloak and Jennifer watched him curiously as he pulled out something from it. It was a small figurine, with the resemblance of a person, made out of straw. There were black feathers attached to the head for black hair, and two light pieces of rock made the eyes. The straw itself was bound tightly so it had a bit of a sparkling sheen as Jennifer turned it in her hand, the moon making it appear a little shinier than the dullness straw normally displayed.

"For you," Rumplestiltskin said.

"Me?" she asked, chuckling as he gave it to her. She gave it a look, saying, "What is it?"

"It's supposed to be a person," Rumplestiltskin said, shrugging.

Jennifer smiled knowingly, saying "Who is it supposed to be?"

"You," Rumplestiltskin returned. "It's how I see you."

"And how do you see me?" Jennifer asked, beaming at him.

Rumplestiltskin looked at her as though he wanted to say something, but he seemed to reconsider and Jennifer, who'd watched him expectantly, smiled a little...a small flicker of hope crossed her features, and the silence returned between them for a few minutes.

Rumplestiltskin said softly, "I know you're feeling isolated, Jennifer, alone and unwanted. But if it makes you feel any better, there's at least one person in this village that won't run from you...or, really, can't." He indicated his lame foot.

Jennifer smiled lightly, looking at him.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

Rumplestiltskin chuckled, saying, "Yes. It was."

"That's funny," Jennifer said, laughing a little. "Dark, but funny."

Rumplestiltskin shrugged, saying, "I'm pleased to see that your vampirism hasn't affected your sense of humor."

A moment passed.

There was something in the way he gazed at her, he resembled a little puppy dog, watching her as intently as he did. She'd always considered Rumplestiltskin a friend, although she had thought they would be more by now—but things got in the way, events had happened, and Fate was a bitch. But here they were.

He always seemed to find her when she needed the right person to talk to, and she'd find him when he would feel like the walls were closing in. They always seemed to find each other. Rumplestiltskin was always the one who talked to her when she was at her most vulnerable, the same man who always spoke to her as though she'd never been bitten by a vampire, as though his opinion of her—whether or not she had fangs—had never changed.

They were silent for a moment. The gaze they shared between them seemed to last for hours.

Jennifer whispered, "I think..."

"Yes?" Rumplestiltskin asked, his voice betraying a little hope.

"I think it's time I go home," Jennifer told him.

Rumplestiltskin looked a little crestfallen, but he nodded. Jennifer stood to her feet, and held out a hand. He took it, taking his cane in the other, pulling himself up. He staggered a bit, incidentally nearly pinning her against a tree. They laughed softly when the surprise wore off, and neither seemed to move. Jennifer smiled at him, her eyes lighting up with the moon above. Rumplestiltskin watched her for a moment, waiting to see if she would encourage him.

He held no interest for anyone, nor did he feel like he deserved anyone, but the moments with Jennifer (while only lasting for a few seconds), he always hoped they would last longer.

After Milah had been taken, having left him...Jennifer was the only other person besides Baelfire to whom he could confide, and she'd stood by him, as a friend, of course. They shared a common feeling: Isolation. And after being branded the village coward, it only seemed to bring them closer together, but only as close as his marriage with Milah would allow.

Now at this point, Rumplestiltskin was frozen to the earth, and his frozen state remained even as Jennifer leaned forward. Her lips touched his briefly, but he didn't give any kind of response—a part of him, perplexed, tried to decipher if this was real or not. As he tried prying away a fantasy from reality, Jennifer had mistaken his lack of response for sheer terror; Jennifer apologized quietly, turning to leave but Rumplestiltskin finally found his bearing; he snatched her shoulder, pushing her against the tree. She began to voice her surprise, but was stopped when Rumplestiltskin kissed her. Hesitantly at first, then when Jennifer returned it, he felt what he could have described as 'bravery' stir inside.

Jennifer smirked into the kiss, entangling her hands behind his head, into his hair, lightly tugging. Her heart, while no longer beating, fluttered as winged insects floated around in her stomach. The flutter in her heart was partially because Rumplestiltskin wrapped his arms around her (still bearing his weight on the cane but barely). At first, Rumplestiltskin was captured by the ferocity of the lady's passions; the soft sounds that came from her mouth and vibrated into his.

Rumplestiltskin felt his heart race when Jennifer twisted the position so she had him pinned against the tree, her fingers digging into his shoulders, and Rumplestiltskin became very painfully aware of the excitement happening below.

Time seemed to stand still.

Rumplestiltskin lost his balance though, toppling over onto the ground. He landed on his back, muttering apologies. She knelt down.

"Rumplestiltskin," she said, but he kept apologizing quickly, and she said loudly, "Rumplestiltskin!"

He quickly looked at her.

She lied next to him, turning onto her side so she faced him. Jennifer placed a hand on his cheek, her palm caressing his jaw. Softly, she said, "Stop apologizing. You have nothing for which you should be sorry."

Rumplestiltskin begged to differ, but Jennifer put her hand over his mouth.

"I like you," Jennifer told him. "I have for a while, since we were teenagers."

"You..." Rumplestiltskin began, but he stopped when he processed this, and looked at her incredulously. "You...have?"

"Yes." Jennifer returned.

"Why?" Rumplestiltskin asked, making Jennifer laugh.

"Why not?" asked Jennifer. "You're a man full of love. You love your son—it shows every day. You love your son more than you love yourself." She sat up, handing him his cane. "It's why you left the front line, isn't it?"

"Well, there's more to that story."

"I know the story," Jennifer told him, waving her hand dismissively. She stood to her feet, helping him up. "The story that everyone here has heard. You didn't want to go to war. You only joined to try and prove yourself that you are brave. But there's another part of that story, I know for certain. You didn't want to leave Baelfire fatherless...personally, I think crippling yourself would take an astonishingly amount of courage—that's a lot of pain to go through."

Rumplestiltskin nodded, sighing sadly.

"You may be known as the village coward," Jennifer offered softly. "But you would do anything for your loved ones. And that is courageous."

"But I am the village coward," he emphasized.

Jennifer returned, "You are who you are, Rumplestiltskin. You, changing yourself to please everyone else, won't make you brave—it'll only be a lie."

A beat passed, and Rumplestiltskin continued to gaze at her as though she might fly up a chimney. He walked towards her, stopping in front of her momentarily. He brought a hand to her face, caressing her cheek, then touched her neck lightly where the vampire had left its mark.

"I'm betting this hurt as well?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"Incredibly," Jennifer answered softly.

"You never explained how it happened."

"The bastard kidnapped me in the middle of the night, sank his teeth into my neck, and left," Jennifer told him flatly. "It hurt like hell, but one of the perks about being the undead is that I have an incredible amount of pain tolerance and self-healing powers. Some people can only stand so much before they beg for death..." Jennifer shrugged, saying softly, "Guess I am luckier than most."

He didn't stop touching her neck, his finger tracing her bite marks where only gray scars remained.

"You're thinking of Milah, aren't you?" asked Jennifer. "Wondering what kind of pain she went through at the docks...?"

"I think about her every day," Rumplestiltskin returned.

Jennifer said lightly, "Do you still have feelings for her?"

"I'm not sure," Rumplestiltskin returned. "She was Bae's mother...our marriage has been...had been..."

Jennifer took his hand that had been touching her neck, and placed it over her heart. Rumplestiltskin watched her curiously.

"My heart—my human heart—may not be alive, Rumplestiltskin. But I can tell you right now that it beats only for you. I know it may be too late, now that I'm a vampire, but had you not been with Milah...had you not chosen her..." She stopped herself from saying anymore, only ending with a quieter tone, "I guess it doesn't matter. Anyway, I'd be a difficult woman to love." She smiled kindly at him.

Rumplestiltskin took her shoulder before she could walk away. She looked at him.

"What?"

"If your parents can longer accept you for what you are now," Rumplestiltskin said quietly, "You must find some place where you are happy, no matter where you are. It's a choice. Home is not a home, until you miss it."

"I've missed talking to you. I wanted to talk to you a lot in the past..."

"Why didn't you?" asked Rumplestiltskin.

"Milah," Jennifer answered gently. "I didn't want to interfere."

Rumplestiltskin looked at her with the same expression of disbelief as he'd done before, but when she didn't say anything more to contradict it, he smiled a little. He seemed more than happy to hear that someone else missed him, and wanted to be with him by choice.

"Milah was a kind woman," Rumplestiltskin said lightly. "She wouldn't have minded if..."

"She wasn't the reason I avoided you, Rumple." Jennifer chuckled, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "You were."

Rumplestiltskin looked confused.

She said softly, "I feel for you, Rumple. A great deal—more than you could possibly comprehend. You talk to me when no one else will—be it they are afraid or disgusted. For doing that alone, I know there has to be some type of bravery inside your heart. But it's not just that. You accept me for what I was, and what I am now. I also think, judging from our frequent social interactions, that you feel a great deal for me too. What's more is that I feel safe around you..." At his look of disbelief, she added, "It takes more than a man wielding a sword to make me feel safe. Most of those blockheads talk and I have to suffer through their mindless conversations. But with you...I stay interested."

Apologetically, she added, "Anyway, Milah had just given you a son. Regardless, I couldn't interfere with true love."

"I'm not so sure that it was," he admitted quietly. "A time or two, she confessed that she wished I had died in the war."

"That's terrible," Jennifer remarked.

Rumplestiltskin nodded, agreeing with her, but for Milah's sake, he didn't insult her existence, or rather, lack-of.

After a silent moment, Rumplestiltskin said, "You actually feel safe when you're around me?"

"Completely," Jennifer returned, chuckling at the disbelief in his tone.

"You are extraordinary," Rumplestiltskin stated, smiling at her.

"If only people were so comfortable around vampires as you are, Rumplestiltskin. It would certainly shorten my hunts by several hours."

Chuckling, Rumplestiltskin said, "Was that a joke?"

Jennifer nodded.

"Funny," Rumplestiltskin pointed out. "Dark...but funny."

They both shared a small laugh, smiling briefly.


	2. To Be Called A Monster

Chapter Two: To Be Called A Monster

Jennifer sat in the center of the village where a few chairs remained around the dying campfire after the festivities had worn off and most of the inhabitants had gone to bed. She occupied one of the chairs, watching the embers burn under the rubble. The moon above was full tonight, and she smiled as she basked in the silence, closing her eyes, hearing the crickets chirp, and an owl hoot dolefully into the night. Jennifer's mind repeated the time she and Rumplestiltskin sat under the tree, their voices softly speaking to one another, the kiss, the doll he'd given her, which Jennifer held in her hand, admiring fondly. A smile lifted the corners of her lips when her heart fluttered unexpectedly as she thought of her and Rumplestiltskin running away from this village with his son, being a family, together forever as long as they three would live—although, sadly, she'd outlive them...It was just another con of being a vampire. An immortal life with a mortal love.

Her reverie was broken when she heard footsteps, and turning around, she saw that it was her mother and father, Lydia and Percy.

"Go away," Jennifer muttered, returning her gaze back at the small fire. "I don't want to talk to you."

"But, but," Percy said quickly, rounding the fire so he stood in front of Jennifer, "We need to talk to you."

Jennifer heard the urgency in his voice. She stood slowly to her feet, her head tilting to the side in her confusion as she gazed upon the worried faces of her parents. They looked so frightened, but she couldn't decipher if it was because of her or something far more terrifying. When they looked at each other uncertainly, then sadly looked at her, Jennifer frowned.

"So it's happened," Jennifer stated flatly, glancing between them unhappily. "You've finally turned on me, haven't you?"

"No, it's..."

"What then?" demanded Jennifer, stepping towards them. "I'm a monster—you've said that already. You're scared of me."

"We're not scared of you, darling," Lydia whispered gently, although her quick glance around the town made something else quite clear.

"You're not scared," Jennifer agreed. "You're embarrassed of me."

"It's not like that..." Percy began, holding his hands out to reach her, but Jennifer swiped them away angrily.

As expected, the elderly couple flinched, and Jennifer stared at them. She felt her heart break a little every time she saw her parents flinch away from her, their faces scrunched in a cringe as though she'd thrown a book at them. Jennifer crossed her arms, hoping that would lead them to think that she definitely had no intent to harm them, but their worried faces still remained.

"You must leave, Jennifer. Leave tonight." Lydia whispered hurriedly, her voice strained, breaking a little. She moved towards Jennifer, taking her daughter's hands in hers as she further implored, "The King's men are coming for Morraine—and they've heard about you...they want to take you away, Jennifer. They want to kill you."

"I've done nothing wrong," Jennifer returned, taken aback.

"They know what you are," Percy insisted, although his voice lacked the sincerity and worry that had been heard from Lydia; Jennifer frowned at her father.

"You want me gone, don't you, Daddy?" Jennifer asked sadly.

"You're not like us anymore..." he said.

"Percy!" Lydia chided.

"It's true!" Percy snapped at his wife, gesturing violently to Jennifer. "She's a vampire, Lydia—a monster. She's been feeding off people, honey, people—our own people. And look at us—we're no better for it, either!"

Jennifer gaped at him, so did Lydia. Although Lydia looked more angry, Jennifer was beside herself in sadness, in heart break. She couldn't believe what she had heard, but in her heart, Jennifer knew her father felt this way. What made it harder was knowing her mother felt the same, but it was too terrible to say—too terrible to acknowledge. But now that it was said, Jennifer stepped back in surprise.

"You're not telling me to leave because you care for me," Jennifer said sadly. "You're telling me this because you no longer want me around."

"It's not that we don't want you around, dear," Lydia began, but Percy finished it off.

"We don't want this monster around." Percy declared callously.

"Percy!" Lydia gasped, and immediately turned to Jennifer, saying, "He didn't mean that, dear."

"He does." Jennifer said. She blinked quickly to keep back the hot tears, and gulped a few times so to keep the pain from dwelling just inside her throat. "And I know you feel the same way, Mom—don't you?"

"Honey..."

"DON'T YOU!" shouted Jennifer vehemently, stepping towards her.

Immediately, Lydia cried out in fear and Percy growled, stepping between her and the beast. A protective arm shielded Lydia as Percy stared Jennifer down.

"Leave." Percy ordered calmly. "Or you will have the knights to worry about."

"I have no where else to go," Jennifer uttered, immediately regretting her angry outburst. "Please..."

"Leave. Now."

Tears rolled down Jennifer's cheeks, the heat of it soon felt like ice as the wind blew lightly, smothering what was left of the embers in the camp fire. Jennifer looked at her parents, searching their eyes for something of love, but any remnants of it now was replaced with bitterness by her father and pure terror by her mother; they both stared at her as though they didn't recognize her at all. Lydia and Percy were now both glaring at her, and Jennifer bit back her sadness.

"You are my parents," Jennifer said quietly. "I would have thought you two would have been the last people to abandon me...when I need you most."

"We are only here for people we love most." Percy sneered.

Ouch...another piece of her heart just shattered. Lydia was crying behind him, her face buried in her hands. Apparently, this was a confrontation that had been a long time coming, and what might have started as a private conversation had started to turn public as a few villagers had stepped out of their shacks upon hearing the dulcet tones rise to shouting. Jennifer glanced around to see if anyone would defend her, but no one stepped up; instead, they all seemed to flock behind her parents, who were now disowning her, abandoning her.

"You're a monster," Percy growled. "A monster...and a beast. Your life is wretched, and we no longer want any part of it. Neighbors look at your mother and me...I'm damn tired of it."

"It's not all wretched," Jennifer snapped. "You know what I can do that you cannot, Daddy? I can run faster than five horses and a carriage. I can jump to the height of the tallest tree. You can cut me with a knife, and my skin will heal quicker than that of the healthiest human being alive. And while my heart may not beat any longer...I can still love deeper than any of you"—she pointed a finger to everyone that circled around her—"You all see the darkest side of what I am, not the best. You choose to see the worst side because that's all you want to see." She looked at her parents unhappily.

"It is easier to hate a monster, than try to love me, isn't it, Daddy?" she asked quietly.

"Enough of this nonsense," Percy uttered. "Leave here...leave now. You're no longer welcome here...monster."

Jennifer frowned as the mob behind her parents all agreed in unison with the same kind of bitterness. Friends she'd known for years were eyeing her dangerously, looking at her as though she was a bug that needed to be squashed immediately. Children stood behind their parents—sons stood with a fighting stance while daughters held the clothes of their mothers tightly.

A village door opened, and Jennifer turned to see Rumplestiltskin step out of the door with Baelfire behind him. He gave the crowd one look, and Jennifer hoped against hope that he would not abandon her.

"LEAVE!" Percy shouted.

Immediately, Jennifer fled for the woods—as she did, the mob came after her with torches and pitchforks, shouting beastly names at her. As they did, Rumplestiltskin watched after them, sadness written on his face. He had seen her look at him with such helplessness and dismay that it had ripped a place in his heart.

000

In the forest, no song was heard, nor birds nor crickets or any measurable sound of happiness. Instead, if one walked through the middle of the forest, and followed the sobs directly to a large oak tree, the wanderer would have seen Jennifer lying in a patch of leaves, her eyes reddened by the long hours of crying. Her fingers clenching at her chest as she bore her soul into the silence of the forest, crying so hard that now her voice was muffled for no sobs could identify her sadness and isolation, her teeth gritting for the pain in her heart was too unbearable. Her face and arms scratched from the branches of thickets and thorns she'd raced through in order to escape the hatred of those she loved.

On that night, Jennifer lost everything, except for one thing. Grasped tightly in her hand was a little person made out of straw, a gift given by the only person left in the world that didn't hold her darkness against her, but cherished it—for it was a part of her. He fashioned the figurine as he saw her: not completely perfect, but perfect in his eyes.

Jennifer held it close to her heart, and with it there, she fell asleep.


	3. A Promise Kept

Chapter Three: A Promise Kept

Two days later...

Jennifer wandered through the forest, her belly growling. She'd eaten a meal fit for a queen, what with the deer she'd hunted a day ago. The blood from the animal had sustained her thus far, but she was feeling weaker. A few headaches had come and gone, but they were becoming more consistent. She was running slower, unable to keep a pace no more than a few hours before having to stop. She could swipe the bark clean off a tree with her nails alone after drinking fresh human blood, and when she tested it a few hours ago, she'd nearly broken a nail! Jennifer frowned.

It was time to do it again...Time to go human hunting.

Jennifer saw that it was not a full moon, instead only half, maybe a little more than that. She cared not, except it provided less light for the hunt—less light for her, however, meant the same for her prey. She would go easy on herself tonight; find a sweet elderly man or woman who would take mercy on her seemingly unfortunate state, then when they'd fall asleep, she'd drink enough to satisfy her minimal needs and then the next day, she'd search for a human with more muscle and a bad attitude. Killing wasn't exactly the only option, but she'd rather make one trip for all, instead of five trips for a few sips. It sounded a little selfish on her part, but it lowered the risk of being chased with swords and torches.

Jennifer stayed off the trail in any case she came across some knights. Her acute senses picked up a scent, a human scent. She followed it, staying hidden in the trees as she would leap from branch to branch, eyeing the ground from time to time, but mainly following her nose. She heard voices, and saw two figures wandering the path. One was a man; the other, a boy.

"He'll do," Jennifer whispered, eyeing the man. She didn't feed off children; she would kill a soldier with little hesitation—a strong beefy man with a terrible goatee or a bad attitude, and maybe she'd even completely drink the blood of a dying man, but children were strictly off limits. Jennifer sighed, closing her eyes; she had to prepare for this kind of thing.

The boy may suffer some traumatic disorder, but Jennifer wasn't in the mood to find another. She dropped about a hundred feet from the tree branch on which she had been perched, and landed on her feet squarely in front of the boy and his father. Apparently, her stealthy skills had paid off because they'd not heard her coming; the surprise that followed had been expected. While they panicked, Jennifer stepped forward to attack.

"Baelfire, run!"

Jennifer stopped in her tracks as Baelfire—who clearly wasn't going to leave—stooped to help his father stand. Baelfire picked up the cane and handed it to him, saying, "We can run together, Papa!"

Jennifer stepped back, holding her hands up in the air.

"Wait, wait!" She said. "I'm not going to attack you..."

Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire stopped shortly, hearing her voice. Baelfire watched confusedly as Rumplestiltskin looked at Jennifer, his eyes adjusting in the dark as he recognized her. He recognized those bright blue eyes anywhere; she wore a brown tattered dress, which had been slit in different places, most likely from wrestling with bigger animals or cut by unholy branches. Relief refreshed his frightened expression as he chuckled, holding out his free hand to embrace her; Jennifer closed the distance between them, laughing as well. Taken in by the contagion of laughter, Baelfire smiled.

"You really gave us a scare!" Rumplestiltskin uttered, sighing deeply.

"Sorry—I didn't know it was you," Jennifer returned. She smiled weakly, saying, "Why are you wandering around in the middle of the forest?"

Rumplestiltskin looked sadly at Baelfire, who looked at him fearfully. Fear drove Baelfire to Rumplestiltskin as they seemed to remember why they'd been briskly walking through the forest with a mission in mind, as Jennifer had surveyed earlier. Jennifer glanced between the two of them.

Spirits broken, Rumplestiltskin said quietly, "Bae is turning fourteen in two days' time."

Jennifer's lips parted slightly in realization and then sadness, too, crossed her features. All the children available to fight at the age of 14 were being taken from their families and forced to serve in the military for the Duke of the front lands, most importantly the King of the realm. The Ogre Wars, according to Hordor—one of the knights that frequently visited the village to kidnap the young—had exceeded the soldier rates as they were dying left and right. Children were the last resort...but unfortunately, it seemed to have come to this.

"So," Jennifer uttered softly. "You're fleeing?"

Baelfire glared at Jennifer, saying strongly, "I don't want to serve in the war. Papa is protecting me..."

"Easy, Bae," Rumplestiltskin uttered gently. He looked imploringly at Jennifer, but she raised up a hand to stop him.

"I understand, Rumple," Jennifer said softly.

"He's all I have left," Rumplestiltskin said. "Just you and Bae."

Jennifer half-smiled, hearing him include her in the people he cared most about. Baelfire glanced between her and his father as though wondering if something was going on between them. As smart of a boy he had proven to be in the past, Baelfire could put two-and-two together; the way his father looked at this woman and the way she looked at him, Baelfire was no idiot. He could see there was clearly something between them. Jennifer cleared her throat, bringing them back to the swing of things.

"Let me help you," Jennifer obliged. "The forest gets a little crazy at this time of night."

She took Baelfire's place in walking alongside Rumplestiltskin; meanwhile, Baelfire walked ahead of them, eager to flee as much as they were. As they walked, Rumplestiltskin sighed deeply as though something was deeply troubling him. Naturally, Jennifer had to inquire.

"You were quick to leave," Rumplestiltskin said quietly, keeping their conversation out of earshot of his son.

Jennifer chuckled darkly, "Well, in case you didn't notice—I really had no choice."

"You could have come stayed with Bae and me." Rumplestiltskin offered. "I thought I had made the offer pretty clear."

"You did," Jennifer returned.

He looked at her, confused. She smiled.

"I wanted to," Jennifer explained. "Truly, I did. But with the mob as riled as they were...I didn't want you and your son be swept into the mess." She shook her head, adding bitterly, "I should have gone a lot earlier when I had chance. At least then, my parents and I would have exchanged kinder words."

"They still love you, Jennifer," Rumplestiltskin insisted.

Jennifer rolled her eyes, saying, "They love the human Jennifer. Not me."

"You're both," Rumplestiltskin told her.

"Not to them," Jennifer responded. "To them, I am only a beast. Not a woman."

"Well, you look more like a woman than a beast. A beautiful beast, really."

Jennifer chortled as he smiled at her shyly, having spoken of her natural beauty. She seemed to glow a little after that compliment.

"I've missed you," Jennifer admitted.

Knowing what she meant, Rumplestiltskin stopped walking so she was forced to stop as well. She turned to him, questioning his sudden halt, but realized he had something to say. He looked at her so sternly in the eyes that Jennifer raised her eyebrows, impressed, but expectant.

"You know, dear, if you really missed me, you could have come to me afterward," Rumplestiltskin told her.

"You live with the mob—we're in the same village," Jennifer rationalized. "Going home would have only asked for further violence from the crowd. I don't want your family hurt because of me. I couldn't live with myself if something happened...to either of you."

"Really?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

Jennifer smiled.

"I told you before—I care for you more than you can ever know."

Rumplestiltskin smiled a little: "You mean, you love me."

Jennifer gave him a long look. She glanced at Baelfire who was a little ways ahead and she said quietly, "Yes, Rumple. I do. I love you very much."

Rumplestiltskin beamed, "Well, then I think you should know something."

They continued walking when Baelfire expressed impatience—but it was nice to know he was more focused on getting a move on instead of the real reason they were moving at all. They picked up the pace.

"What should I know?" asked Jennifer.

"You mentioned you have had feelings for me since we were adolescents," Rumplestiltskin recalled. "I think it is only fair for you to know, now, that I have felt the same."

"Then why did you marry Milah?" muttered Jennifer as they were getting close to catching up with Baelfire.

Rumplestiltskin looked at his son fondly, then smiled at Jennifer saying, "I didn't know."

Jennifer chuckled, saying, "We've felt for one another but never said anything to each other. It's taken us this long to realize it? If that's not irony, I don't know what is."

Jennifer stopped suddenly, hearing galloping horses and men shouting. She turned to Baelfire and Rumplestiltskin. They looked at her fearfully, seeing the same expression on her face. Jennifer pulled Baelfire from the front, taking her stance in the path, urging them, "Run—go—they're coming!"

Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire began to flee, but in a matter of seconds, the horses had come and the knights, led by Hordor, laughed and guffawed as they come across the three peasants. Hordor was a brute of a man, with well-trimmed hair, and an arrogance fit for a King but alas, he was not. It only made him less tolerable to be around and since he always arrived to take a child from begging parents, he was always considered bad news. Rumplestiltskin, Jennifer, and Baelfire all looked at one another as they were told to halt.

"Halt!" Hordor ordered.

"We've already stopped walking," Jennifer drawled callously. "We can't 'halt' once we've 'halted'. It's a bit redundant." When Hordor met her piercing glare, she added, "Don't you think?"

"Plucky," chuckled Hordor. He glanced at his men, who all smirked.

"What's your name? Why are you on the King's paths?" Hordor demanded. "You." He pointed to Rumplestiltskin for him to speak.

"We have wool to sell," Rumplestiltskin lied. "In the next town."

Hordor glanced at him, unconvinced as he got off his horse and swaggered forward, stopping only a few feet in front of them. Jennifer side-glanced Rumplestiltskin pulling Baelfire closer to him, and her heart ached to be equally close. Protectively although not completely aware, Jennifer stepped slightly in front of Baelfire. Rumplestiltskin noticed, glancing at her; the look on his face seemed to say that if he hadn't felt anything for Jennifer before, the maternal instinct she just displayed for his son would have attracted him.

Baelfire had noticed too, for he raised his eyebrows curiously at Jennifer although the fear replaced his surprise just as quickly. Hordor seemed to not notice either way.

"I know you," Hordor proclaimed, eyeing Jennifer; she raised her head proudly, despite his next retort: "You're the monster I keep hearing about, aren't you?" He smirked: "I hear you're a beast...is that right?"

Jennifer frowned, but answered coolly: "You hear correctly."

"Some kind of vampire," Hordor told his knight buddies. "Well, you're in luck...vampire. I'm patrolling and I don't have time to stake anything as beautiful as you..."

He stepped towards her. Baelfire looked at his father uncertainly while Rumplestiltskin could only watch as Hordor placed himself directly in front of Jennifer, his face only centimeters from hers. He touched the back of his gloved hand to her cheek, caressing her chin with the index finger and thumb of his right hand. Jennifer simply glared at him.

"If you're a vampire," he whispered. "Prove it."

"How?" Jennifer questioned.

"Show me..." he whispered. "Show me how you would seduce a strong man like myself."

Jennifer scowled, "I don't seduce donkeys."

Baelfire suppressed a smile while Rumplestiltskin seemed to dread the worst. Some laughter echoed softly among the men, and Hordor glared at them; the laughter ceased. He suddenly looked at Jennifer then backhanded her; she fell back to the ground, groaning as she held her jaw. Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire winced, glancing at her then stepped back a little as Hordor approached them.

"And who are you? I recognize you," Hordor said to Rumplestiltskin. "What's your name?"

Rumplestiltskin didn't answer, so Hordor mocked him instead.

"Spindleshanks...Hobblefoot..."

Baelfire looked as though he wanted to run and yet simultaneously beat the shit out of the knight, ridiculing his father before him.

Irritated, Baelfire stepped forward, saying, "His name is Rumplestiltskin."

"Hush, boy," shushed his father, but the first blow was made.

Hordor said, "Rumple...? Ah..." He smirked. " 'The man who ran'. Yes."

Jennifer massaged her jaw, getting to her feet. Rumplestiltskin glanced at her, his face betraying a look of concern; she shook her head slightly, instructing him that she was fine and not to worry. Jennifer stood, placing a gentle—if not protective—hand on Baelfire when Hordor looked upon him with amusement.

"Is this yours?" Hordor questioned, gesturing to Baelfire as he spoke to Rumplestiltskin.

The father gave no true indication that he was, but it was more or less out of concern for Baelfire for he knew what would come later. The taunts. And sure enough, Hordor was cruel enough to say to Baelfire that his father ran from the front line as the other soldiers were slaughtered, massacred in the battle. Every word seemed to stab Rumplestiltskin in the heart as he looked down in shame, while Baelfire, confused, could only stare at Hordor and inwardly hope that this man was only trying to hurt him with words.

"He went home," Hordor continued. "He limped home, and returned to a wife who could not bare the sight of him."

"Please," Rumplestiltskin begged quietly.

"You see," Hordor drawled on, "Women don't like to be married to cowards." He chuckled as he glanced at Jennifer, adding, "Well...most women."

"Please," begged Rumplestiltskin once more. "Please. Not in front of my boy."

"It's treason to avoid service." Hordor said. "Take the boy now."

Jennifer growled, stepping in front of Baelfire when the other knights stepped forward. Hordor suddenly looked at her with fear. And so did Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire. She could not see what she looked like for no reflection would ever give her such a chance. But what they saw was pure horror. In a matter of seconds, Jennifer's beautiful blue eyes became filled with bright yellow and the pupils became slits like a rattlesnake's. Fangs grew from her upper and lower jaw, and she snarled; her fingernails became long, sharp, jagged claws—perfect for plowing through human torsos.

Hordor took one look at her, and pulled out his sword.

"No, no, no!" Rumplestiltskin pleaded. He touched Jennifer, telling her to stop, to not do anything. And he did the same with Hordor, who watched, equally amused and impressed, as Jennifer sighed deeply, and her features returned to normal.

"What do you want?" Rumplestiltskin questioned, stepping forward.

Baelfire still looked at Jennifer with uncertainty—was he safe around her or better off with the guards? One couldn't be sure, but his father seemed to have controlled her temper quite easily, calming the beast with little effort. Sensing this, Hordor looked equally uncertain, but smirked at Rumplestiltskin at his offer.

"What do I want?" he laughed. "You have nothing, Hobblefoot. You have no money, no influence, no title, no power...all you really have...is fealty."

Jennifer still glared at him, her face contorted with rage as she watched Hordor place a foot out as he said, "Kiss my boot."

Rumplestiltskin glanced shamefully at Baelfire then to Hordor, he weakly responded, "I don't know what you mean."

"KISS MY BOOT!" Hordor demanded as he held up his sword.

Jennifer seemed ready to attack again but Baelfire grabbed her arm and she grew surprised. Instead, she was forced to watch as Rumplestiltskin knelt down on all fours and kissed Hordor's boot, while the man laughed. It appeared that Rumplestiltskin could no longer keep his dignity either; painfully, Baelfire glared at Hordor, who chuckled, then he kicked Rumplestiltskin square in the jaw.

"STOP IT!" Jennifer shouted furiously as Baelfire fled to Rumplestiltskin's side.

"NOT A MOVE, MONSTER!" Hordor ordered, placing the sword's tip underneath her chin.

Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire quickly looked up to see Jennifer glaring daggers at the man, those bright blue orbs narrowing. If looks could kill, he was dead ten times over. Hordor walked towards her with the tip lightly digging into her skin, drawing blood; Jennifer didn't even wince.

"Don't hurt her..." Rumplestiltskin pleaded. "Please, don't."

"Look at that," chuckled Hordor. "The village coward is in love with the village monster. Sounds fitting." The other men laughed.

Keeping the sword against her throat, Hordor placed a hand on her face, then slowly guided his touch down to her neck, along her collar bone, and rested it just above her breasts. He smirked when Jennifer's scowl deepened.

"You're a beautiful monster," he breathed.

"Get your hands off me," Jennifer growled dangerously. "If you don't, I will gut you like a pig and make you eat your own fucking intestines. And trust me, you will eat all of it."

"Sounds like a threat, Vampire."

"It's a promise," whispered Jennifer.

They stared each other down, while Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire glanced between them worriedly. As though taking her word for it—for the glower in her eyes made him think she was telling the truth—Hordor stepped back, sheathing his sword, and hopping onto his horse. Jennifer watched him smile at her, then when they had gone, she knelt beside Rumplestiltskin who was shaken with fear.

"It's okay, Papa," Baelfire comforted.

An elderly kind beggar came down the path and apparently saw the whole thing; he anxiously offered to help.

"You go," Jennifer told the beggar. "Make sure they get home safely."

"Wait, wait—" Rumplestiltskin said quickly, taking her arm.

Jennifer looked at him.

"Come with us," Rumplestiltskin said.

"Not right now," Jennifer told him. "I want to do something first."

"What do you need to do?" Rumplestiltskin questioned; he looked so damn worried that Jennifer smiled at him.

"I'm still angry, Rumple," Jennifer told him. "I'm also hungry. When those two things co-exist, I can't be around people...especially people I care about. Now, please, do as I say and go."

"Wait!" Rumplestiltskin insisted; he didn't let go of her arm.

She impatiently looked at him. Baelfire and the beggar watched as Rumplestiltskin stepped towards her, his hands cupping her face and his eyes searching hers. He seemed to know what was on her mind. He seemed to know that she wanted her hunger and anger to be satisfied by one simple meal, and the knights that just assaulted the both of them seemed to fill that desire easily. But apparently, he wanted her to come with them, to forget her notions of revenge, to cause no further problems with the knights.

"Please," Rumplestiltskin whispered.

She leaned in to kiss him, and he returned it as though she had been gone a century or might be gone again for a longer period of time. It was passionate, a little clumsy, but it expressed a great deal. Jennifer withdrew abruptly, looking at Baelfire.

"Take your father home." Jennifer told him.

Rumplestiltskin stopped her again.

Impatiently, Jennifer said his name.

As though knowing he wouldn't be able to stop her regardless of his pleas, Rumplestiltskin said reluctantly, "Will you come home when you're through?"

"Of course. I'll always come back." Jennifer replied.

Baelfire turned away shyly when his father and Jennifer kissed each other again.

When Baelfire, Rumplestiltskin and the beggar turned to go back to the shack, Jennifer bounded in the other direction. Twenty miles down south, she found a knight that was gathering firewood.

When the knights came back to check on their extra pair of hands, the body had been gutted by what seemed to have been large claws, the intestines had spilled out onto the forest floor.

The body appeared to be drained of all blood, the skin sunken in for lack of composition; the jaw was slack with half-eaten intestines, hanging off the side.

Hordor bent over a few feet away, throwing up his half-digested dinner. And the men followed suit.


	4. A Gift, Not A Curse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: For those investing in the future of my story:
> 
> My story is AU where Belle and Rumplestiltskin are concerned. My OC, Jennifer, replaces Belle as Rumple's true love. My recommendation: f you don't like the story—i suggest you stop wasting your time and find a fanfiction more suited to your desires. Okay—for those who aren't hating this story—please continue. Review, don't review—it's completely up to you, dears

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Jennifer stood on a large oak branch, stooping as she was perched several feet above the knights' camp. She giggled quietly as Hordor alerted his other men to the grisly sight of their fallen companion and as they vomited their dinner into the earth, Jennifer straightened, smirking in satisfaction. The dried blood of their fallen knight streaked her hands, her mouth and neck. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she cherished the alarm that spread through the camp. First there was panic, then bouts of rage—most of this chaos was released by Hordor, who vowed to 'kill that little demon bat' when he saw her next. Jennifer shrugged carelessly, feeling pretty damn good about herself. It was amazing how she would feel shitty one moment, then how yummy she'd feel after drinking so much blood the next.

It was like taking a long bubble bath, soaking in bath beads and salts as the world around oneself dissolved into a different reality. Her skin had a new glow, no blemish of any kind as the blood coursing through her veins made her flesh flawless. Her hair was fresher, blacker even, as though she'd gotten a whole new due. The strength she had been lacking was back. What puzzled Jennifer since her vampire turning days had started was that every single time she committed her dangerous deeds, her despicable murders, was how horny she felt afterwards.

Jennifer glanced at her hands again, smirking as she licked a finger, tasting the leftovers of what had been a rather gruff-looking knight. She'd given him plenty leeway to escape her clutches. She'd thought of how Hordor had made Rumplestiltskin kiss his boot, and then the taunting words he'd used on Baelfire about his father being a coward and how his mother despised his father greatly for his cowardice. She thought of Hordor all the while she'd taken her sharp talons into the man's gut, carving his stomach like a pumpkin just so she could rip out his organs and force feed them to him. The man had screamed; he'd begged her to stop, that he would do anything if she would let him go.

"Anything?" she had asked darkly.

Ignorantly, he had nodded.

She returned dangerously, "I want..."

"Hmm?" he begged to know her request as his mouth was muffled by his own organs.

"I want you to die." Jennifer breathed into his ear. And then she'd ripped out his heart with her hand, leaving a large gaping hole in his chest.

The sensation of destroying something made her feel alive, it gave her the release she wanted. But now, Jennifer knew, she was aching for a different kind of release. Why was it that when she committed a murder—especially something so ravenous as this—would make her feel so desirable, so seductive...maybe it was a vampire thing? Jennifer wasn't sure, but the feeling remained. The blood lust she'd feel had originally frightened her but now she sometimes looked forward to it. It was liberating, a different kind of freedom—to do whatever she wanted...being a vampire had its benefits.

She stooped again to watch Hordor look around quickly, to search the skies for an answer—or maybe he was searching for her. The darkness of the night kept her hidden, and the large branches and their conspiring leaves obscured his vision, but not hers. Her vampire eyes watched the man take out his sword, cursing everything she held dear.

"Tomorrow," Jennifer heard him say, "We're getting that kid. Fiendfire...Rarefire..."

"Baelfire," corrected one of the guards, which made Jennifer chuckle.

"Whatever," Hordor snapped angrily. "He's turning 14 tomorrow; we'll take him. If we run into any trouble, we'll have the Dark One."

"Are you going to use him against the vampire?"

"No," Hordor growled. "I have something far worse to use on her."

Jennifer narrowed her eyes to slits, but didn't listen anymore. The night was still young; she had promised her special someone that she would return home when she was through. She'd keep that promise. Growling quietly, she hopped from the branch of the tree and when she was a mile from the knights' camp, she hit the ground, literally running; the wind of her speed shook the bushes around her, and as she sprinted past a carriage, drawn by horse, the animal reacted, neighing and nearly steering the carriage itself off course.

Jennifer heard a sound. She was a good distance away from the village, and knew she was closer to the Duke's castle where he kept all of his possessions. She heard talking, some ramblings of a man and a familiar voice. Jennifer stared in disbelief as the Duke's treasured tower of things was burning on sight. She stood back when she saw two men wrestling on the ground and then the one who had the dagger stabbed the one dressed in a dark cloak. Taking cover, Jennifer stepped back into the brush.

The scene before her had distracted her, and Jennifer stepped back right into three knights.

"How many of you people are there?" Jennifer snapped furiously.

"Kill her—stake her in the heart!"

"I'm trying!" said the second knight, quickly grabbing his sword.

"Not with that—the wooden stake! Get it!" The first knight that spoke and the third unspoken knight had taken Jennifer's arms, and with the force of both of them, they'd pinned her down on the floor.

Jennifer jerked her arms and flung them back. They grunted with the impact as their backs hit the trees. Jennifer took a fighting stance, ready to eat their faces off—literally—then the brave second knight, stepped forward. He held a stake in one hand, a hammer in the other.

"Back off," Jennifer growled quietly. "Or you'll die like the one in your camp."

"It was you," whispered the knight, shaking his head. "You are a monster—you...you were born a monster!"

"Evil isn't born," Jennifer snapped. "It's made! People judged me. They laughed at me, bullied and abandoned me. They forced me to be this way. I tried to forgive—i tried to forget, but it's just too hard." She smiled darkly, adding, "But why should I try to deny what everyone tells me I am, especially when I can embrace this darkness and splash in it a little? Or maybe, a lot?"

She walked towards him threateningly.

"A monster," she drawled. "It's scary, isn't it?"

"What are you doing?" The knight questioned—no doubt the fear in his voice was unable to be stifled. He watched her eyes become bright yellow, her fangs to grow from her upper jaw as she smiled evilly at him.

"I've stopped being the sweet, innocent, vulnerable woman I was—why should I be?" Jennifer asked the knight honestly. "Why? Can you or your moronic buddies think of a damn good reason why I would want to go back to my normal weak human self?"

"Yeah..." the knight responded, surprisingly brave.

"Why?" asked Jennifer.

"Because you wouldn't be about to die right now," he said, smirking at her.

Jennifer grunted as his two back-up parties had drawn their swords and each had taken a slice of her with them. One sword had nicked the left side of her abdomen, and the other caught her shoulder; simultaneously, the knight who had been distracting her, brought down his sword into the back of her knees so she was forced to kneel, in pain. Jennifer winced, biting back tears of pain—she would not be giving them the satisfaction.

"And," Jennifer muttered, "People call me a monster."

She closed her eyes quickly when the knights all took out their stakes, raising them above their head, ready to find her heart no matter how many times they'd have to stab her. However, in that moment—what might have been only seconds—all three knights screamed in agony as their hearts were stabbed, and one of their necks had been broken; all three fell down simultaneously, dead.

Jennifer managed to get to her feet, impressed—but equally startled. She cringed as she ignored the pain in her shoulder, hip, and the back of her knees, turning circles to find her rescuer.

"Who are you?" she questioned. "Show yourself."

From the shadows, stepped a figure. His wavy hair framed a pale, gaunt face; his eyes were masked with golden green reptilian-like eyes, and his skin was flexed with gold over a pale green shimmer. In his hand was a dagger, flickering a glare from the moonlight. Jennifer's eyes widened when she realized she stood before the Dark One.

She became even more surprised when she got a closer look at the Dark One.

It was Rumplestiltskin.

He stepped towards her, smiling.

"Are you all right?" asked Rumplestiltskin, looking her over.

"Fine..." Jennifer returned slowly, still shocked. "I'm fine...Are...Are you okay?"

"You know," Rumplestiltskin began, looking at the dagger which titled his name and was covered in dripping blood, "I'm more than okay."

"How is that?" Jennifer asked, watching him carefully.

"I feel great," he said, chuckling. "Better, even." He stood in front of her.

She observed his current appearance, looking something out of a dream (or maybe a nightmare, but she couldn't talk—her vampire form scared the shit out of a lot of people...) and then she smiled, surprised, saying, "You don't have your cane."

"I don't need it," Rumplestiltskin replied as though this was obvious but to prove a point, he made a bounce and said, "Dark One's magic has made me stronger."

"Fantastic," Jennifer returned. "Well, as you know, I was intercepted by these knights in dull armor, and I had every intention of going to your cottage afterwards, but...mmm!"

Rumplestiltskin stopped her in mid-sentence as he wrapped his arms around her waist, the flat side of the dagger loosely pressed against her back as he was pulling her into him and then shoved his mouth hard against hers. It took a moment for Jennifer to realize what was happening but then she grinned, kissing him back; her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him to her, even closer.

Energy between them seemed to increase tenfold—it was like she'd been hit by lightning. Her heart was racing, her mind was a buzz, and the arousal she'd felt from killing earlier stirred within her once more. Jennifer felt their passions heighten as he pushed her back against a tree, fueling the spark between them. Jennifer chuckled darkly as his hands left her waist to move between her legs, separating them so he stood between them, enacting something both of them have thought about for years.

"I've wanted to do this," Rumplestiltskin uttered in a low growl, "for a very long time."

"Then do us both a favor," Jennifer urged desperately, "and stop wasting time."

He ripped the already half-torn seam of her dress, throwing the material behind him. Jennifer didn't question his newfound direct approach, or his confidence—she'd already suspected it was from the power he now controlled. Such darkness could do that to a person. Jennifer was an expert on that.

Jennifer moaned when he pushed himself, still fully cloathed, against her, allowing her to feel just how much he'd wanted to do this. Her moans perpetuated the moment, making it last only a little while longer. Rumplestiltskin smirked when her body became flushed with color, her fingers grabbing at his clothes, removing them as quickly as he was removing hers. The forest would shroud their exposed bodies, but they weren't even thinking of the display—only of each other.

She pushed him down onto the forest floor, her vampire strength being a perk—always. She was a little surprised, however, when he turned positions on her; She'd forgotten somehow that the Dark One was a lot stronger than a simple little Vampire. The lust buried inside grew.

"I want you, Rumple." Jennifer uttered breathlessly.

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her. Somehow his normal self returned to the surface as he lied himself on top of her, although withholding a great deal of his weight from crushing her. Jennifer felt his lips touch the lobe of her ear, his breath on her skin tingling her spine and bristling the hairs on her neck. His voice was low, spoken softly although the lust was surfacing.

"I love you, Jennifer." he said.

Jennifer smiled at him.

"I love you too, Rumplestiltskin."

"Good," he said with a dark chuckle: "Because what we are about to do has been plaguing my mind since the day I met you. What happens beyond this point—I won't be able to stop."

Jennifer lifted her hips, inviting him.

"Good," she said with the same dark laugh. "I don't want you to."

Rumplestiltskin lowered his body against hers. Jennifer was perplexed that despite the considerable reptilian look of his skin—the green and gold shimmering—it was soft against her own flesh. His hands rubbed her shoulders, her arms, touching her breasts, cupping each then groping the rest of her body as though they had the insatiable need to cover every inch of her flesh and the hunger to do it all at one time and yet savor it as well. Jennifer's body responded to him. With a nibble on her earlobe or suckling on her neck, her lips would part slightly without her knowledge; when he brushed his fingers down her sides, even over the wound, she would sigh softly. Rumplestiltskin cupped her breasts, enjoying the handful, and how hard her nips responded when he circled his fingers around them.

Was it so wrong to think how great having a vampire lover would be when his companion had been bitten at the perky age of 18?

"Stop toying with me," Jennifer growled.

"Shh," Rumplestiltskin whispered, "I'm enjoying myself."

"But..."

"Shh!"

Jennifer raised her eyebrows, surprised by his dominant stance. A few days ago, he hesitated to even kiss her, and now he was commanding her to be silent while he tormented her with foreplay—although she could hardly complain but the aching between her legs was becoming hard to ignore while he enjoyed the scenic route. Jennifer whimpered when his hand moved down her belly, and cupped her sex, his fingertips teasing the entrance.

"You know," Rumplestiltskin said quietly, "I am the Dark One now—I can do so much more for you when all this is said and done...for us."

Jennifer leaned forward, digging her fingernails into his shoulders and forced him on his back. She gave him a challenging glare and when he simply smiled at her, she continued on with her plan.

"Are you sure you want to be with a Vampire?" Jennifer questioned quietly as she straddled his waist. "The blood lust can be a little..frightening to some."

"Not to me, dearie," Rumplestiltskin returned pointedly. "I found your vampirism to be less frightening and more...beautiful'." His voice deepened on the last note, and Jennifer felt her loins burn for him.

"All that strength and vitality, all this power in one woman," Rumplestiltskin pointed out when Jennifer gave him a curious look; he made a purring sound.

"You've changed a great deal," Jennifer whispered, leaning down so her body was lying on his.

"For the better, I trust?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"I like this side of you...It's so dark." Jennifer stated. "Now, if you through talking, would you fucking please make love to me?"

Rumplestiltskin looked a bit taken aback by her language, but smirked at her.

"If you wish it," he told her.

"I do." Jennifer growled.

He pushed her onto her back, and slid himself into her. Jennifer felt no pain—she was already soaking wet from the little talking they did, and his ministrations earlier had made her hotter than she'd ever felt with any man. He moved in and out, slowly at first, and when she was whimpering for a harder feel, he did as she wanted. Her legs wrapped around his waist, allowing him to go deeper inside, and he groaned when she dug her nails into his back. Jennifer was moaning loudly, only muffled by their chaste kisses, their need to heighten the pleasure. Rumplestiltskin caught her wrists and pinned them above her head; her hips moved in sync with his, and when her back arched, he thrusted into her harder.

"Oh my god..." Jennifer whimpered, and she moaned his name.

Rumplestiltskin watched her for a brief second, never stopping, but he noticed her eyes becoming bright yellow, and as her mouth fell open in lust and pleasure, her fangs lengthened. In her deepest senses—of anger, of hatred, or heightened pleasure—Jennifer's true form of blood lust and sensuality came out as a vampire. And seeing the darkness within her match the darkness inside him, Rumplestiltskin felt a deeper attachment towards her, which only excited him further.

Their hands clasped together above Jennifer's head as she found her peak, pleasurable moans exhaling from her mouth and then vibrating into his when he kissed her on the lips. Jennifer parted them and he took her invitation to deepen the kiss. Sweat rolled down their bodies; Jennifer moaned in protest when Rumplestiltskin finished, and pulled out of her, lying beside her, panting as quickly as she.

"That was..." Jennifer began breathlessly. "You were...I..."

"I know," Rumplestiltskin returned, smiling at her.

Jennifer giggled, rubbing sweat off her face, sitting up. Rumplestiltskin watched her, his eyes taking in the magnificent sight of the pale figure before him. Jennifer saw him looking at her; she noticed the moonlight seemed to make his new skin glitter in a way. In some ways, it was beautiful—in a masculine kind of way, and it wasn't too long before Rumplestiltskin stood to his feet, and began dressing. He held out a hand to her, and Jennifer thanked him for the help; Then she was only reminded of her wounds made by the guards.

She hissed in pain.

Rumplestiltskin looked at her, concerned. He stepped towards her to help, but she shook her head.

"Give it a couple hours," Jennifer said quietly. "I just had my fill earlier tonight—I'll heal faster this time around than I would a few days ago."

"Who did you kill?" asked Rumplestiltskin blatantly.

Jennifer looked at him, surprised and when he looked at her knowingly, she blushed.

"One of the knights that was with Hordor," Jennifer said. "Gutted him—fed him his own intestines before he choked on them."

Rumplestiltskin whistled low, saying, "I thought you were bluffing."

"So did he," Jennifer returned darkly. She shrugged, saying, "Do you think I was too harsh?"

"Not at all, not...at...all," he reassured. "You threatened Hordor that death sentence."

"Well," Jennifer mused, "I thought I would leave him alone for later, and I am glad I did. Now you get to exact a little vengeance."

"How does it feel?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"Liberating," Jennifer uttered delicately as though the word could tempt any man into killing just for the hell of it.

Rumplestiltskin smirked at her.

Jennifer knelt down to pick up her clothes. She remembered the torn dress—the heat of the moment had really gotten to them. Rumplestiltskin saw it, and he said, "oh...that." He waved his hand and the dress turned from the brown rags it had been to a simple, light blue dress.

"You have magic," Jennifer realized.

"All kinds," Rumplestiltskin drawled, wiggling his fingers. "And more to come when I learn how to wield it. We can have everything, Jennifer. Anything you desire..."

Jennifer pulled the dress over her head, and spun around, watching the dress flow along with her. She walked towards him, and Rumplestiltskin watched her with a smile.

"Well, being a woman, I naturally desire everything." Jennifer stated pointedly. "But as for whom...you and you alone, Rumple. There is no one else." She shrugged, saying, "Well, except for Baelfire—but I swear, other than him, you are the only man for me."

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her.

"Speaking of which..." Jennifer uttered, looking up at the sky. The sun was starting to rise.

"Of course," Rumplestiltskin said. He bowed to her, hands extended out on either side of him, a playful demonstration of what these 'nobles' would do when the lady would leave. Jennifer returned the playful tease, making a deep curtsy.

They shared a laugh.

"Will you come home once you are through?" asked Rumplestiltskin, referring to her daytime slumber until the sun would set.

"Of course, Rumple," Jennifer whispered. She cradled his face in her hands and said, "I will always come back to you."

He took one of her hands in his, kissing the back.

Blushing like a school girl, Jennifer smiled.

"I love you, Jennifer."

"And I, you," she returned sweetly. "It's a curious thing though...our love."

Rumplestiltskin tilted his curiously at her.

"True love," Jennifer specified. "It's suppose to fix curses, isn't it?"

"I imagine there's a great number of loopholes around this," Rumplestiltskin summoned an answer, although he seemed just as perplexed as Jennifer. However, the two simply gazed at one another, then simultaneously shrugged.

"Maybe," Jennifer said softly, "True love's kiss only breaks what people may consider a curse?"

"Do you consider me cursed?" asked Rumplestiltskin curiously, indicating his appearance and his obvious gain of power.

Jennifer smiled, saying, "If it makes you feel stronger, Rumple, I would consider it a blessing."

"And what about you?" Rumplestiltskin asked, gesturing to her. "Do you consider yourself cursed?"

"Maybe I am not," Jennifer offered, shrugged. "Not anymore? Vampires thrive in the night, but I am not anxious to test it and if it didn't turn me from my vampirism, and if I don't leave now, I'll be ashes by morning."

Rumplestiltskin nodded, agreeing with her. One last kiss was exchanged between them, then he waved her off, and she took off like a speeding bullet, disappearing into the forest as blur of pale skin and black hair. He turned around, heading for the village. It was time to rescue Bae.


	5. Love Found In the Dark

Chapter Five: Love In Darkness

She had spent the day sleeping in a hollow cave, which she had fashioned into a temporary home for when she would isolate herself from any other person. It kept the sunlight from burning her skin, and it was cooler inside than it ever was outside. All she needed in it were the pelts she'd placed one on top of the other in order to make a small bed; nestled in the wool, she soon fell into a deep sleep; her biological clock woke her up just as the sun was setting. Jennifer stepped out of the cave, walking down a path as she breathed in the fresh air.

"Jennifer..."

Jennifer suddenly turned to see Lydia and Percy, her parents. Percy's voice had caught her attention and seeing them, Jennifer's body tensed, her eyes narrowing at her father. They each held a knife. Her father watched her precariously; Lydia, however, looked the most reluctant. They advanced towards her. Jennifer held up her hands to them, as though they would shield her from whatever they'd set out to do. And a sadness was gripping at her heart as she knew what they had planned to do: the knives were dead giveaway.

"You...stay away." Jennifer warned. "Don't come near me."

"Hordor mentioned you were still alive," Percy said lightly with unusual softness.

Jennifer snarled, "You sound so concerned. Now, I wonder why that is..."

"Please," Lydia begged. "Come back home with us. We...we miss you."

"Yeah?" Jennifer questioned skeptically. She pointed to their knives, which were clenched tightly in their hands. "I think you have only missed your opportunity to kill me."

"Jennifer..." Percy began, stepping towards her.

"Stay there." Jennifer ordered dangerously.

Percy stared at her incredulously. Lydia's face was stricken with worry. They glanced at one another as though reading each other's mind, and this only confirmed Jennifer's suspicions. Betrayal tugged at her heart, and the love she had for them seemed to only spite her further.

"You chased me out of my home," Jennifer told them coldly. "You turned your backs on me when I needed you most. You called me names that no daughter should ever hear a parent say..." She crossed her arms, raising her head proudly: "But say you really did care for me. Let's pretend you found your new love for me. I want to believe it but what I find most contradicting is the coincidence-you arrived just as I have awakened...with daggers in your hands."

They stared at her, frightened. A wicked smile flitted to her face.

"You were going to sneak into my cave and kill me," Jennifer deduced from their drawn weapons and over-eager expressions. "Weren't you?"

"It's not us..." Lydia pleaded. "It's Hordor...he's asked for your body. He wants you dead."

"But the price of my head means a great deal to you, doesn't it? I bet it's quite a hefty amount to my parents who have lived in a small shack all their lives. I think the bounty must be pretty large for you to come out alone-I'm guessing you didn't want to split the shares. I'm not even hurt by the idea of you trying to make a better life for yourselves, for hunting for that bounty. But you were ready to kill me in the worst way possible, a cowardly way too. You can't even do it to my face; you have to wait until I am asleep before you completely betray me. Be quiet!" She had interrupted her mother who had opened her mouth to speak otherwise.

"Hordor wants my head because of what I did to his precious knight. The bounty is a perk—he wants me dead. But you, two, want me dead as well, but for other personal reasons." Jennifer pointed out. "You don't want me as a daughter anymore; you see me only as you want to see me, because the thought of being anything to me now is fate worse than death...apparently. You'd prefer my death, instead."

Lydia and Percy beckoned to her, stepping forward to put these atrocious ideas out of her mind and the moment they did, Jennifer hissed harshly at them, glaring at them angrily. Knowing her eyes had shifted from their beautiful sparking blue orbs to the yellow pair most people feared.

The elderly couple froze in place.

Lydia looked the most pained, her arms reaching out to take her daughter inside them, to comfort Jennifer, who appeared so abandoned. But Jennifer didn't even move an inch. Instead, she pointed at them.

"You will leave now." Jennifer said, her voice breaking slightly. "You leave now, and I won't have to kill you. You haven't done anything to warrant such a fate. So please...for the sake of our past relationship and time having spent together...please...please, leave."

"We're your parents, Jennifer. I'm...your mother, I love you," Lydia begged her to understand.

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME YOU LOVE ME," Jennifer shouted furiously.

The parents had picked up their knives quickly from where they'd been dropped to convey false security, and stepped back when she took a threatening step towards them. Her eyes glinted with anger; her fangs exposed. Jennifer felt anger rushing through her body.

"Don't you dare tell me you love me. You turned your back on me!" Jennifer hissed. "You abandoned your daughter. You betrayed my trust and my love. You came here to kill—not to comfort."

"Jennifer, listen to me," Percy began.

"SHUT UP!" Jennifer demanded.

The charade was gone. Seizing what appeared to be a moment of opportunity while Jennifer was too angry to react, Percy snatched his knife from the ground, and with impressive strength for such a frail-looking man, he threw the knife. Then, as though by magic, it suddenly slowed down, and hovered in the air directly in front of Jennifer's heart; at the halt of its destination, Jennifer stepped back—her look of disbelief matched that of her parents'.

Another voice called to her, "Jennifer."

A cloud of red smoke appeared before her and from its fog stepped Rumplestiltskin; his hand held up as though he was clenching the air, but Percy, Jennifer, and Lydia realized he had stopped the dagger from making its way to Jennifer's heart. The parents glanced at him, suddenly looking very much afraid—Percy, especially, seemed to lack his former confidence as he placed his arms protectively around his wife. Jennifer glanced at the crooked dagger that was worn on the belt of Rumplestiltskin's clothes, right against his hip, reading his name. He always kept it closest to him.

The Dark One observed the situation, glancing between Jennifer, whose expression held the mixture of disbelief (for she hadn't died), sadness and pain (for she'd just witnessed her father's efforts at killing his one and only daughter), and slighted flattery, for Rumplestiltskin had appeared at the nick of time to save her.

"Jennifer," Rumplestiltskin asked with a steadied tone, "What is going on here?" Although, he seemed to already understand the situation fairly well. The floating dagger in front of Jennifer made a hard case against the two assassins.

"Dark One..." Percy said calmly, (although his eyes betrayed all sorts of fear) "This really doesn't concern you...so...please...if you would leave us to speak to our daughter."

Rumplestiltskin looked at him, and Percy immediately shrank from the gaze. Lydia was shaking with fear, stepping behind her husband who made an obvious effort of shielding her from whatever dark magic would ensue.

"Normally, I would have stepped aside regarding any family business between a mother and father, and their daughter. However, since your business involved killing her, I thought I would just step in." He took a step forward on the aforementioned word as he emphasized it. Twirling his fingers, the dagger seemed to obey him as it now turned in the direction of Lydia and Percy, who stared in horror as the knife began hovering towards them in a slow, threatening pace; joining it was its other half that had originally been grasped by Lydia.

"Jennifer, are you all right?" He asked her, although his eyes never left her parents.

"Fine."

"Care to explain?" Rumplestiltskin questioned, indicating the entire situation at his feet.

"Hordor put a bounty on my head," Jennifer answered lightly. "Evidently."

"He promised..." began Percy.

Rumplestiltskin lifted his other hand, as though he was choking something and that appeared to be Percy's neck for he suddenly couldn't finish his sentence.

"Whatever bounty he promised for her pretty little head, I can assure you it's now null and void," Rumplestiltskin returned pointedly.

"He told us yesterday, said he would pay us if we could find the vampire," Lydia whimpered, staring at her husband worriedly—there was no doubt as to why for Percy was gasping for air, begging for mercy. Lydia looked imploringly past Rumplestiltskin to Jennifer, seemingly asking her to do something about this.

"Well, he was alive yesterday." Rumplestiltskin returned. "Things got a little crazy last night."

Turning to Jennifer, Rumplestiltskin said too happily, "I'm afraid he took a sudden turn for the worst."

"How?" Percy questioned.

"I killed him," the Dark One returned as though it should have been obvious by the context clues he'd given them, "Along with the other knights who rode in with him."

"Why?" gasped Percy.

"They tried taking what belongs to me." Rumplestiltskin said, referring to his son. "So I took something that belongs to them...their lives."

Lydia cried in fear as Rumplestiltskin walked towards them.

"You tried to do the same thing," Rumplestiltskin growled, glaring at them. He no longer held control over the knives; the objects had dropped to the ground; instead, he used the free hand to control Lydia, now—through magic—strangling both parents, lifting them into the air so their feet had begun to kick.

"Jennifer..." Percy choked. "Please..."

"Love is a harsh thing," Rumplestiltskin muttered, tittering. "You came after her to kill her for gold..." His hands tightened so that the dark magic holding at their throats strangled harder as he steadily became angrier: "And now..." he chuckled darkly, "You're begging her, expecting her to help...now... when you need her most." The last words were spoken quietly in a softer tone.

He glanced at Jennifer as said them; she was watching the scene unfold before her with an odd look on her face as though she wanted to save them, but there was something else working on her heart. She understood Rumplestiltskin's meaning. They had turned their back on her when she needed their understanding and their love. And now, they were wishing the same from her, expecting her love and forgiveness. But did they not just try to lure her into a false sense of security so they could rip her heart out in the next moment? Did they just not make an attempt on her life out of hatred and avarice?

These thoughts only made her look fearsome as she frowned at Rumplestiltskin, but the tears in her eyes seemed to be holding back her darkest thoughts, for despite what they had just tried to do to her, she could not deny that she still loved them very deeply.. Despite her lack of response, Rumplestiltskin seemed to read her message loud and clear. After all, he had known her for the better part of his life.

"Jennifer, please. Jennifer—"

"Will. Not. Be. Harmed." Rumplestiltskin ordered dangerously; he lowered his hands so both Lydia and Percy suddenly gasped for air, kneeling down on the earth to recover. "Apparently, she still loves you—but love is a weapon and you've used it once already. If I were you, I would make my way back home and hope you never run into her again. Because then, you will have only me to deal with. And she won't be here to save you."

Percy glared at Jennifer, as though he was planning his next move carefully. Thinking better not to do what he was obviously planning, Percy placed an arm around his wife and they ran from the Dark One, who watched after them, thoughtfully. He turned to look at Jennifer.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I've been better," Jennifer replied, shrugged. "Hordor's gone, then?"

Rumplestiltskin smiled sheepishly: "Quite."

"How's Baelfire?"  
He shrugged, saying, "He's safe."

"And the other villagers?"

"They're afraid," Rumplestiltskin reported, smiling at her. "And they should be."

"Fear is powerful," Jennifer noted. "It, too, is a weapon. Love and fear alike. It can help or hinder you."

"And what does it do for you?" he asked, moving closer to her; he placed a hand along her jaw, touching her face with the back of his hand.

"Hinder," Jennifer returned, thinking of her parents sadly. "But every now and then, it's invigorating to see just how powerful fear can be. Like what I've just seen...I've never seen my father flee from a fight."

Rumplestiltskin walked around her, saying, "In his defense, it wouldn't have been much of a fight."

Jennifer turned to meet his eyes, seeing the honesty of his words; if she had given permission, Rumplestiltskin would have killed her parents without hesitation. He walked up to her, and placed his arms around her waist, pulling her to him; Jennifer wrapped her arms around his neck almost instinctively.

"Maybe," Jennifer uttered, "You should have let him try and fight you."

"It would have been his suicide." Rumplestiltskin told her.

"I would have died as his hand, if you hadn't interfered," Jennifer responded. "I might have killed him myself anyway..."

"Would you have been able to live with that—killing your father?"

Jennifer shrugged.

"I've killed others...I don't always think about it, granted. From what I have seen of him, he'd have no guilt assassinating me." she admitted unhappy. "It is clear to me more than ever—he's no longer my father, not the one I remembered. You saw it in his eyes, the way he looked at me. He was ready to kill me for gold."

"The amount of gold upsets you?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"It's not the bounty, really," Jennifer uttered. "He would have killed me just to be rid of my existence."

She pulled away from Rumplestiltskin, obviously upset by this, but he didn't permit her withdrawal. Instead, she was only pulled back by the restraint of his arms, which remained linked around her waist. Jennifer searched his eyes for a meaning behind the restraint.

"You've stood by my side for years, Jennifer," Rumplestiltskin told her. "I will now stand by yours."

"You have always stood by my side. You and I have always had each other. The village coward" she caressed his face with both hands, "And the village monster—Hordor was a bastard, but he was right...seems only fitting that in a world that has made us feel unloved and unwanted, we would find what we desperately sought...in one another." Jennifer told him. "Acceptance, love, and the feeling of being wanted."

"And you are comfortable with this?" Rumplestiltskin asked, indicating his current appearance.

Jennifer flashed her vampire features, allowing her eyes to reflect the bright yellow and her fangs to expose as she said, "Look at me, Rumple."

He met her gaze, smiling at her transformation—maybe with a little adoration.

"You accepted me as I am now—a vampire," Jennifer told him. "You've given me friendship and love when everyone else responded with abandonment and bitterness. I can and will give you the same."

"And what of this power?" Rumplestiltskin asked quietly. "Would you rather me not have it?"

Jennifer suspected the feeble tone of his stemmed from however Baelfire had reacted to seeing his father as the Dark One.

Jennifer returned softly, "Your heart is all I desire, Rumple—I know the man you truly are. A man who needs more than just his beloved to make him feel strong and brave, and powerful. If that's what it takes for you to feel fearless, keep it. Everyone needs a little something. Some people have castles. Others have swords. You...you have magic. And me...well, I have the vampire thing to fall back on."

"You've accepted this a lot easier than most," Rumplestiltskin uttered in surprise.

"Love is adaptable." She responded softly. "Personally, I like magic, all sorts. So...if it makes you feel any better about it, I will love the Dark One just as deeply and passionately."

Rumplestiltskin smiled as Jennifer brought her face closer to his so their lips were reunited. When their lips locked, it was as though a fire had consumed them; the soft, gentle kissing became a heated battle of tongues and neither submitted their control. Jennifer moved her hands against the fabric of his tunic, grabbing a handful of the material as he kissed her harder. His hands felt the small of her back, lowering to her legs, pulling her dress up so he could feel the nakedness behind her thighs. Jennifer moaned as his fingernails scratched the flesh lightly; a soft purr echoing from deep inside her throat. Her hands snaked behind his back, moving to his hips to undress his lower half when her excitement began building at an alarming rate. Suddenly he pulled back.

Jennifer was surprised as he looked at her carefully, suspicion suddenly clouding his expression.

"What?" Jennifer asked. "What's wrong?"

"What are you really after?" Rumplestiltskin asked her quietly.

"Well," she said curiously, "I was considering taking you behind that tree there," She pointed to a rather large oak a few feet from them, "But we could wait if you..."

"Is that all?" Rumplestiltskin asked suddenly.

Jennifer furrowed her eyebrows, confused, and a little defensive.

"Well, my long-term goal was to make love to you." She said, pointing to herself. Then pointing to him, she said, "What was yours?"

Rumplestiltskin continued to watch her warily. There was a great deal of mistrust in his eyes, and Jennifer's confusion turned into concern. She stepped towards him carefully.

"What do you think I was doing?" she asked.

Rumplestiltskin pulled back his cloak to reveal the dagger with his name on it.

"Seriously?" Jennifer questioned sardonically. "You thought I was after your dagger?"

"Being the Dark One means I have a lot of power now," he told her. "That also means...someone can use it to control that power—control me.."

"And," Jennifer returned coolly, "You think I am after the dagger so I can...what...control you?"

Rumplestiltskin eyed her, still. But he didn't respond.

She smiled saying, "You must be really daft in the head to allow yourself to think even for a moment that I would want to control you, Rumple. Your power is your own to wield."

She strolled towards him and when he made to withdraw, she snatched past his guarded arm and snatched the dagger within her own vampire agility and speed. She held it so he could see that she clearly had in her possession; the look on his face was extremely defensive, guarded, and on the brink of anger.

"To prove a point," Jennifer mused.

"Give it back," he requested with a great amount of forced calm.

"I will," Jennifer told him softly. "But I am proving a point."

"What point is that?" Rumplestiltskin snapped.

"I have the dagger of the Dark One in my hand as we speak," Jennifer told him softly. "If I wanted to control you, I would be giving you demands and telling you to kill my parents and make their deaths messy...to make them suffer, and beg..." She walked towards him, placing the dagger behind her while Rumplestiltskin remained stiff as bored—probably not by his own accord, but his expression of disdain transformed slowly to one of reluctant interest.

"I would have demanded by now that you make my father kneel before me," Jennifer whispered, her eyes darkening, "And force him to apologize for all the names he'd called me, for making feel the way you have shown me I never have to feel, Rumple."

She placed the dagger in front of her, flipping it so she now held the blade itself, the handle facing him.

"But I haven't," Jennifer stated flatly. "And I won't. If you want to question my motives for loving you, Rumple, I would suggest you do it."

Rumplestiltskin continued to look at her—the expression of his mixed with anger (for she'd taken his dagger after voicing her lack of wanting it), admiration (for her description as to how she'd want her parents killed), and simply her usual aptitude for knowing him. He looked at her for the longest time and her gaze never faltered. When he held no more objections, she tossed him the dagger. He seemed a little set back after accusing her for wanting to control him.

"You have been my love for a long time," Jennifer said. "I love you as the man you are right now, and as the Dark One. Personally, I certainly have no reason for taking away your power because from what I have already seen— I suspect I will like you as the Dark One."

"Really," Rumplestiltskin said, looking at her curiously. "Why is that?"

"Because," Jennifer said, "I have my reasons."

"And what are they?"

Jennifer smirked when he saw a spark of interest light his eyes.

"They're selfish reasons, really," Jennifer warned, turning from him as she shrugged shyly.

"I want to know."

"Do you?"

"Yes," Rumplestiltskin breathed, walking around her so he was facing her.

Jennifer said boldly, leaning her upper body towards him with a bit of a playful tease, "With you as the Dark One, I feel you should know something about me before I tell you my selfish reasons."

"And that is?" questioned Rumplestiltskin, bracing himself for the worst—and a little for the best.

"I was attracted to you before while you were simply spinning at the wheel. Now that you're the Dark One, I can feel my attraction increasing tenfold—might be some dark magic at work, but it is probably with good reason," Jennifer stated factually. "I'm a cold-blooded, thirsty monster with an insatiable amount of blood lust—once I get started, it takes a few days for me to stop."

Jennifer stated as facts: "I drain the life out of one person so I don't have to feed on ten other people; it sounds like the honorable thing to do but it's because I don't like taking the ten trips. I don't mind killing people—I sometimes enjoy it. And watching you kill those knights who tried to hurt me last night, and watching you give command over my parents..."

She grinned wickedly, pressing her body against his.

"Personally,...selfishly...Watching you in action makes me a little...frisky." Jennifer breathed, her eyes darkening with lust.

Rumplestiltskin stared at her incredulously, trying to process this.

"You are extraordinary," Rumplestiltskin uttered as he placed his arms around her waist. "You never cease to amaze me."

"I think you're extraordinary too," Jennifer returned. "You must have a thing for vampires, then?"

"Apparently, I do," Rumplestiltskin said, chuckling. "But maybe that's your natural power of seduction at work."

"I call 'bull'—you were looking at me long before I became a vampire." Jennifer mewed.

"Well, you are right about that." Rumplestiltskin admitted with resolve.

They shared a soft peck on the mouth and with a few tempting second, third, and fourth peck, it only escalated to yet another passionate moment of feverish kissing; Jennifer closed the distance between them, lifting her leg to brush against the back of his; she felt the dagger push against her thigh. Before things escalated any further, Jennifer mumbled, "Don't you have to return to town?"

"Why?" Rumplestiltskin uttered gruffly, his mouth overtaking her neck, relishing her body's responses to him.

"Baelfire," Jennifer reminded. "My parents have shown their true colors—they might hurt him."

"Oh..." Rumplestiltskin mumbled. Jennifer chuckled when he seemed disoriented, and he managed to pull himself together, muttering, "Right, right—I have to check on Bae."

"I'll come with you," Jennifer offered. "I didn't kill them this time because I, unfortunately, still love them but even I refuse to attack children. If they go after Baelfire, I will kill them myself."

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her lovingly.

He waved his hand and a big cloud of red smoke gathered around them, transporting them to the town where they entered his cottage and saw that Baelfire had fallen asleep, not a hair on his little head had been touched.

Rumplestiltskin offered her a cup of freshly brewed tea, and they toasted to their new happy life for Jennifer had agreed to stay with him (the situation had apparently been discussed with Baelfire—he'd approved, considering how plucky she had been towards the knights, Baelfire approved of her wily personality, and apparent love she'd shown for his father).

While Jennifer had become only further seduced by the potential of his power, Rumplestiltskin did, however, notice that the newfound darkness within him had pulled a little for her as well. He felt (what would have originally been unthinkable) even more attracted to Jennifer—maybe it was her blood lust that prompted that whole make-out session to begin. Her description of humiliating the enemy or gutting their entrails seemed to set his insides ablaze—he couldn't have thought of a better scenario for Hordor; it was a shame he'd only broken his neck instead of following Jennifer's extreme idea.


	6. Jennifer's Darkest Secret

000

Jennifer watched Baelfire sleep soundly in his cot. He was breathing deeply, smiling a little as he dreamed of something happy. Jennifer sat on the side of his cot, bringing the blankets over his body that had been tossed aside from the heat, while the fireplace had been blazing, and now smoldered with dying embers. On the other side of the cottage, Rumplestiltskin sat in a chair, hands folded in his lap; he, too, had been watching Baelfire, and now, Jennifer.

She looked sentimental as though remembering some sad memory of another before she smoothed back the matted hairs on Baelfire's head as he had begun twitching and muttering things in his sleep; maybe his dream had become a nightmare, but only temporarily as he stirred a little, opening his eyes to see Jennifer, but she said soft words to him and he went back to sleep. She stood and joined Rumplestiltskin at the kitchen table. When she said nothing, Rumplestiltskin's concerns were confirmed: something was troubling Jennifer.

Rumplestiltskin said nothing at first. The tea kettle over the fire had begun to whistle; consideration was taken in retrieving it so as to not wake up Baelfire. Without asking her if she wanted any, Rumplestiltskin placed two tea cups between them, and poured the hot liquid into each, setting it down on the table after serving it. He sat down, gazing at Jennifer; however, her eyes never met his. Instead, they continued to gaze at Baelfire.

"You're troubled," Rumplestiltskin pointed out quietly.

"Hmm?" Jennifer reacted, looking at him suddenly.

"Something is bothering you," he told her. "You've been like this every night." He gestured to her to indicate her sentimental plight.

"Well, I certainly can't be like this in the day time," Jennifer returned, replacing her solemn expression with one of false humor: "Unfortunately for me—and everyone else that isn't a Dark One—I need to sleep."

"You know what I am talking about," Rumplestiltskin called her attempt to conceal her true concerns. He took a sip of his tea; placing it on the table, he added: "You've been with me for two weeks, and yet you're somewhere else."

"I'm just thinking..." Jennifer returned lightly.

"I've heard that before," Rumplestiltskin told her, remembering Milah's plenty of reasons for why she would have little to say to him, or more importantly, why she would avoid him. That was one of the frequent things Milah would say when she didn't want to talk to him about anything revolving around heir lives. Now hearing Jennifer make a few of the same excuses, he started to wonder if she was truly happy. Obviously, tonight, she had allowed some of her feelings to make a sketch on her face—her unhappiness had placed itself on the outside for Rumplestiltskin to see.

"Are you miserable here?" Rumplestiltskin asked quietly, although he dreaded the answer.

Immediately, Jennifer looked affronted.

"I'm not miserable, Rumple." She whispered—Baelfire started snoring—and she leaned forward, taking Rumplestiltskin's hands in hers. "I'm happy here. It's where I always thought I'd end up—with you...with a son."

Rumplestiltskin gave her a calculating look, and said carefully, "A son?"

Jennifer smiled weakly: "Baelfire is a sweet kid, Rumple. But he's not our son. He's yours."

"Baelfire..." began Rumplestiltskin but she interrupted him.

"...likes me, yes—maybe even loves me, but I'm not his mother," Jennifer told him. "I don't even know if I could be—or would want to be. I don't have a great track record when it comes to mothers. You've seen me with my parents—look how we ended things. They tried to kill me."

"They threatened your life," Rumplestiltskin reminded.

"That was only one interaction with a mother," Jennifer returned quietly. "I have had others."

"Others?"

Jennifer looked uneasy, as she said, "Rumple, I've done things that no human being should do."

"It's the penalty of being a vampire, dear," Rumplestiltskin told her.

"It's a little darker than that," Jennifer responded unhappily.

Rumplestiltskin's expression changed to that of concern and uncertainty. He glanced at the cot in which Baelfire nested. He stood, taking Jennifer's hand in his, and led them outside of the cottage where the moon was clearly visible with not a cloud in the sky. When they were out of ear shot of Baelfire, Rumplestiltskin gestured to one of the chairs that still stood around a dying campfire in the middle of the village and silently, Jennifer occupied the first while he brought a second over to her and sat beside her.

"Now," Rumplestiltskin said softly. "You've told me what happened on the night you became a 'creature of the night'" the tone on those last words were a bit humorously spoken for he truly thought Jennifer was more of a beautiful lady, than a creature. "But there's more to it than just another vampire biting you and leaving..." He watched Jennifer look at him sadly.

"There is something you're not telling me," Rumplestiltskin stated firmly.

Jennifer appeared extremely uncomfortable, and as she stood to leave, Rumplestiltskin stopped her saying, "You may be able to hide from everyone else—maybe even from yourself—but you will not hide from me."

Jennifer turned around to look at him. A great deal of her face expressed discomfort, uneasiness, and the extreme urge to flee, but in her eyes, Rumplestiltskin saw a flicker of emotion. Where most people would have considered not hearing her darkest secrets, Rumplestiltskin had expressed a desire to know them, maybe even understand them. Jennifer considered the idea, even, that if she refused to tell him willingly then the Dark One would be the one to get it out of her.

She submitted, sitting next to him as she said, "Fine. I'll tell you. Anyway, I think you deserve the right to know who you surround yourself with, especially when Baelfire's safety is concerned." She smoothed out her dress, as though to brace herself for the worst. Rumplestiltskin moved closer to her, placing his hands over hers to stop their trembling.

"You can tell me anything," Rumplestiltskin reassured. He touched her face gently, caressing her jaw in the cup of his warm palm, "Trust me."

"Okay," Jennifer uttered reluctantly.

She began her story.

000

Jennifer had been eighteen years old, full of life, joy and happiness. Her parents would come to collect her from the group of friends she'd surrounded herself by day, and she would have a family dinner with her loving parents by night. A few admirers would come to her door, asking her parents for her hand in marriage and upon asking their daughter's opinion, the admirers would be sent home—her refusal to marry 'just anyone' made her a desirable target: young, beautiful, fertile, and occupying a spontaneous, often-times optimistic personality. Many wanted to be with her but her eyes and heart were reserved for a spinner.

Rumplestiltskin had been Jennifer's long-time best friend. They would talk about everything: the ogre wars that were steadily becoming a nuisance and, they predicted, would only become worse; Jennifer would talk about her past suitors who'd come to collect her hand, and a few moments would pass when it seemed to be only them in the world and no one else.

Plenty of times, Jennifer had tried to tell Rumplestiltskin that she loved him dearly. Her nerves would always get in the way though, or someone would interrupt them, making it hard to find that perfect moment to admit her love. And, often times, Rumplestiltskin seemed to have a hidden secret from her as though he'd wanted to tell her the same thing, but his shyness would seem to get in the way as well.

When Jennifer had enough interruptions, enough self-doubt, she had called on Rumplestiltskin to tell him her true feelings, how she couldn't ignore what her heart was sworn to forever feel. The door opened, and there, standing the doorway, had been Milah, who looked a little curious but otherwise smiled happily at her. Rumplestiltskin came from behind, and explained that he and Milah were about to go to the lake for a bit of a picnic.

"Oh," Jennifer had returned. The crushing of her heart made no difference as she put on a happy expression: "So...you and Milah? You're courting her?"

Rumplestiltskin nodded, looking at her with the same happy expression, albeit a little too happy. He told Milah he would catch up to her in a few minutes, and waited for Jennifer to speak. She struggled with the words to say—she wanted to tell him everything...but he seemed to have fallen for another...

His happiness was her happiness.

"Did you want to talk to me about something?" asked Rumplestiltskin, noticing her expression that normally presented itself when she had to get something off her chest. Something was troubling her.

Jennifer opened her mouth to speak, but hearing Milah call for him, she sighed deeply, shaking her head.

"I...I just wanted to say..." She began. Milah called again, and Rumplestiltskin glanced behind him at the sound.

"Say...what?" Rumplestiltskin encouraged. He looked a little hopeful.

"Um..." Jennifer crossed her arms, knowing it would only be only the way she could stop fidgeting with her hands and maybe even brace herself for the pain that was to come: "I just wanted to say...good luck?"

Rumplestiltskin smiled, but he seemed disappointed.

"Did..." Jennifer began quietly. "Did you...want to talk to me about something? Or...maybe someone?"

It was Rumplestiltskin's turn to look like he wanted to tell her something, but Milah's voice was heard again and both looked disgruntled in her direction. Jennifer smiled sadly at him, when he sighed.

"I..." Rumplestiltskin started again but the efforts seemed futile. He sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I have to go."

"Sure, you do." Jennifer said, placing a smile on her face. "Have fun!"

Rumplestiltskin bravely kissed Jennifer on the cheek and then left to tend to an impatient Milah. When he had gone, Jennifer's expression changed from its false happiness to heart break. She placed a hand on her cheek where the fire of his kiss had remained on her cold, pale face. And what might have been the sound of small glasses shattering in a cabin next door as the neighbor willed his dishes not to be broken as two children ran outside, Jennifer felt it might as well have been her heart...breaking as Rumplestiltskin sought his happiness in someone other than her.

For a year she watched Milah and Rumplestiltskin live happily together. And the secret she wanted to unveil had become locked inside, as she watched Milah and Rumplestiltskin laugh about this and that. It would wait a few more days, she always told herself—after all, Rumplestiltskin and Milah weren't even engaged yet. Truly, they appeared happy. Why would Jennifer want to ruin such happiness? She'd walked away from the village to clear her head—and her heart—unbeknownst to her that Rumplestiltskin had glanced outside the window, his expression being one of slighted sadness and a bit of regret as he watched Jennifer walk away, seeing her head bowed. Milah attracted his attention, by talking about having a family one day. And that seemed to resolve his sadness for his dearest friend.

Jennifer, alone in the forest, wept quietly; the tears rolled down her cheek, dripping off her chin. Her shoulders shook slightly, as the pain of a broken heart felt far worse than any wound she'd ever experienced. She'd hoped for a cure, and that someone would heal her broken heart, that they would take the pain and sadness away. Almost as though someone had heard her wish, a man appeared from the thickness of the forest, looking like a ghost at first, wearing a large black cloak.

"A woman as beautiful as you," he said lightly (but he startled the weeping woman no matter), "should not look so miserable."

Jennifer glanced at him, brushing her tears aside. She stood quickly, ready to run for his pale features scared her. His eyes were bright yellow, and the elongated fangs made him appear fearsome. However, something in his voice made her stay. Something in the softness of his tone prompted her to remain where she was for he may have appeared harmless, despite his beastly appearance.

"Who are you?" Jennifer questioned.

"My name..." he chuckled, "is not relevant. And I think you should be more concerned with how I can help you." His voice was deep, but soft in the way he spoke.

He approached her carefully, as though she was a timid gazelle and needed the proper coaching to keep her from running. Jennifer was no fool, however; she kept her distance no matter how close he came, her hands held up in a defensive manner. The creature continued to advance. He raised his hands slowly.

"Something ails you—something terrible, something that is causing you a great amount of pain."

Jennifer stopped, looking at him: "It's nothing that can be cured."

"With every curse, there is a cure."

"This isn't a curse."

"A broken heart," he said knowingly, "may not be a curse, but I know the signs when I see it. A beautiful woman, torn in two. A desirable creature with all the loveliness of many, pulled into love only to be awakened by its agonizing reality, the devastating truth that someone would choose another...over her."

Jennifer frowned, repeating more firmly, "Who are you?"

"As before, my name is not relevant. I can help you, though."

"A man who refuses to give me his name is not a man I can trust," Jennifer declared, crossing her arms.

"You may not trust me," he returned smoothly, "but know that I can ease the pain in your heart. I can make you feel stronger, faster, and more alive than that man who dejected your happiness would have ever made you feel. All you have to do is allow yourself..." he reached towards her, taking her hand, "to be free from your sadness."

Jennifer eyed him carefully.

"A woman like you deserves to be happy," he told her. "And someone who is so intelligent to not trust a total stranger, and strong enough to ignore her own desires—however self-serving they'd be—is one who should be able to live years and years in happiness and good health."

Jennifer watched him kiss the back of the hand he held so gently in his. Jennifer considered running. What this man was trying to sell, she hadn't the slightest clue. But a tugging in her gut implored her to flee...but the idea of no longer feeling so crushed was what kept her feet cemented to the floor.

"What are you offering?" Jennifer asked.

"A lifetime of happiness—and many more lifetimes to come." He said. "All you have to do...is kiss me."

Jennifer stepped back, smiling: "And there's the catch."

"Excuse me?"

"You want something, for nothing." Jennifer returned. "You want me to take this deal you are offering for a kiss—but why would anyone want to kiss you?"

"Because I have much to offer: such as immortality."

"And how will that keep me from feeling heart broken? Why would anyone want to feel that forever?"

"I can give you power to seduce another—perhaps the man who rejected you?"

Jennifer shook her head: "I admit that I am devastated for his acceptance of another woman in his heart, but I will refuse to take away his happy ending."

"Even if that ending..." the man drawled, "meant that he truly was destined to be with you?"

Jennifer scowled, saying, "He is happy now with her. Why would I take that away at all?"

"Because you love him." The man stated the obvious.

How obvious it was—but Jennifer simply backed away.

"You offer me the power of seduction, an immortal life..." Jennifer whispered. Her eyes widened: "You are a vampire...aren't you?"

The man smirked at her, bowing as he said, "Smart woman."

"Why would becoming a vampire rid me of my broken heart? It would only amplify the symptoms, prolong my sorrow," Jennifer told him calmly. "And kissing you? Why you need to kiss me in order to make this all work?"

"Vampirism is not an assault," he said. "It's consensual."

"Well," Jennifer returned, "I can only imagine what stories you've told your other girlfriends who've kissed you and have become vampires."

"Plucky," the vampire mused, smirking at her. "I like you."

"That's a shame—because I..." Jennifer hissed, "don't like you. You're trying to twist my sordid situation to match your sale price. That's just wrong."

"What if I were to tell you that this woman your intended is in love with" the man drawled as Jennifer began to leave, "wasn't in love with him at all? What if I told you that by being a vampire, you would one day be reunited with the one you love?"

"He'd never love me as a vampire," Jennifer muttered. "He doesn't love me now."

"Are you sure?"

Jennifer slowly turned around. After a moment's consideration, she muttered, "How would you even know about such things?"

"As a vampire, I have acquired incredible hearing and sight—I have heard your cries in your room, and so have heard your love—Rumplestiltskin—talk about you to his beloved as though you are the best thing to have ever happened to him. He speaks highly of you..." The vampire continued, sounding too aware of her situation. "And I can certainly see why. And...seeing as they are not completely engaged, there may still be time to make your happy ending...yours...forever."

The vampire stood, his bright eyes darkening as he placed a soft pale hand on Jennifer's cheek. Jennifer thought him insane, but if Rumplestiltskin was talking about her a lot, then maybe there was still a chance? The vampire smirked.

"You love him, don't you?" The vampire questioned.

"Yes."

"And you will do anything for him?"

"Anything," Jennifer agreed warily. "But become something everyone fears and loathes, for he would only fear and loathe me as well."

The vampire chuckled darkly: "You are a hard woman to bargain with."

"I'm not stupid," Jennifer returned. "A vampire's life is a terrible life—and there's plenty of it. Hunting humans by night, hiding from the sun...it's all terrible."

"Not everything," the vampire considered. "You receive acute senses—hearing, sight, smell. You can feel things deeper than most—more than what Rumplestiltskin's flower could ever possibly feel. You will be faster, and stronger—more desirable to the humans, I am sure. And you will be able to seduce any man of your selection..."

"The price of all that is killing humans," Jennifer argued. "That's a steep price to pay."

"A steep price, indeed—but necessary." The vampire added.

Jennifer weighed the odds. She bit her lip, her nerves chewing away at her. What it would be like to be able to run faster than the fastest horses. To be able to lift trees from the roots and throw them several cities over? She would be able to do so much for her village with that kind of power—it was so tempting. But the fact remained; She would have to kill people to retain this power and never seen the sun again. Would it be worth it?

Jennifer looked at the vampire.

"Something else on your mind?" he asked.

"Can I choose who I hunt?" asked Jennifer quietly. "A dying man has not much else to lose and I would prefer taking his blood...instead of that of a lively youth."

"Interested, huh?" The vampire drawled.

Jennifer blushed as he chuckled.

"A woman so kind, so sweet...the vampire life can be hard to those who have just started out, but in time, you will no longer be burdened by such human thoughts."

"Those human thoughts will be the only things that keep me human," Jennifer told him, stepping forward. "I tell you what...I will make this deal with a few of my own conditions."

"Vampirism is not magic, love," The vampire responded with the softest of tones. "You can't just pick and choose what parts you want and what parts you get. It's the whole package—you take the good with the bad."

"If I am killing left and right—how will Rumplestiltskin love me?" Jennifer demanded.

"Love is adaptable," the vampire stated. "You would be amazed how many dark souls fall in love and love deeper than those who remain 'good'."

Jennifer shook her head, throwing her hands in the air.

"This is all too much," Jennifer uttered incredulously. "Become a vampire—a killing machine—and Rumplestiltskin is just going to follow his heart back to me? I will not hope for their love to be in ruins if he is truly happy."

"He will never be truly happy," the vampire argued.

"How do you know that?"

"Because his true happiness lies with you."

Jennifer tossed her head back in the air, laughing derisively. She shook her head, looking at the surprised vampire for he'd not expected such an unpredictable response. She walked towards him, her eyes glinted with anger.

"You are something," she hissed. "Twisting my love for him to fit your sale. You're not only a vampire monster, your soul is as dark as the deal you're offering."

"Become a vampire," he insisted. "You can use your power of seduction on him. As much as he feels for you already, all he needs a little push in the right direction. And neither of you would been the wiser. Don't you think he deserves a true love? True happiness? Isn't that what you have to offer him...truly?"

Jennifer growled inwardly, turning around to walk away but something kept her feet nailed to the ground.

This vampire could spin words into gold. There was a tugging in her gut but now it was imploring her to make the deal, to become what she was most desperately afraid of. She would have a family with Rumplestiltskin, maybe? And yes, if he already felt as deeply for her as the vampire claimed, then all he needed was to be reminded. And she would take the deal...and she would do what the vampire suggested...then maybe she could have the life with him she had always wanted.

Jennifer sighed. At the very least, she would have all that power—that incredible power—to use if it didn't work out, right? And, she presumed, she would eventually find another love within all those lifetimes, right? And if all of this worked out, she would have been—as the vampire said—none the wiser.

She turned around slowly, and the vampire was grinning as though he knew she'd made her choice.

"I have one condition...only one." Jennifer whispered.

"And that is?" he asked.

"You will never ever come back to this village." Jennifer told him. "We will never meet again. You will leave the moment this deal is finished."

The vampire nodded.

"But I have to know first," Jennifer said. "How does this benefit you?"

The vampire smiled: "I like helping people."

"That's a lie."

"Intuitive," The vampire noted. "But my reasons are my own."

"How will I know this condition will be honored?" Jennifer remarked.

"You have my word."

"I'll require more than that."

The vampire sighed deeply, muttering, "Women were a lot easier to persuade a long time ago."

"They still are," Jennifer returned. "But I'm just ahead of the curve."

"How about this," the vampire remarked. "I'll add a little something to this deal."

"And what would that be?"

"In addition to never seeing me again," the vampire drawled, "I will allow you to keep your vital humane thoughts intact—in and out of transformation. You will be able to keep your mortal side along with this immortality I will grant you. You will be able to feel twice as deeply than any creature, and retain your human side."

Jennifer nodded, but the vampire didn't do anything.

He warned her softly, "But you should know something. You will be a monster with a human heart, and while it has stopped beating after this, it will always be able to break. You will want like any human, and hate like a human. Vampires kill—but only for the hunt and nourishment. Humans are more...selective. Your anger will fuel your appetite, and you will never feel completely nourished until your stomach—and your heart—are satisfied."

"What the fuck does that even mean? Stomach and heart?" Jennifer questioned.

"You'll learn to satisfy both," the vampire comforted. "And now...if this has been settled. We shall continue to other things."

Jennifer nodded.

The vampire leaned in, and touched her lips with his. Jennifer returned it. The vampire smiled when he withdrew.

"I don't feel anything," Jennifer uttered.

"That's because I haven't done anything," the vampire said lightly.

"Then what the fuck was the kiss for?"

"Like I said—you're a beautiful woman," the vampire returned, bowing a little. "I wanted the pleasure of kissing you as I know I will never see you again."

Jennifer rolled her eyes.

"This next part," the vampire mused, "isn't so...pleasurable."

He suddenly lowered his mouth to her neck, and bit down...hard. Jennifer screamed, but it faded in a matter of minutes. The hour passed as she lied on her back while the vampire continued to drink from her and then, something was felt inside her veins, like a fire had been lit within the blood stream. It made its way up her arm, then shoulder, then into her heart. Jennifer screamed again, tossing and turning, but then just as quick as it hurt, it stopped hurting. Jennifer looked up, her face covered in sweat.

The vampire smirked down at her.

"Better?" asked the vampire.

Jennifer glared at him, having not been informed that the process was going to hurt like hell. She stood to her feet with his help, and he smiled.

"Ah, perfect. Now remember—you have the power to seduce your selected...use it well." He winked at her, and then in a flash, he was gone.

That night, Jennifer roamed through the forest in the direction of the lake. She'd do a little this and a little that, knowing Rumplestiltskin still had feelings for her. It had been obvious in those few moments that he'd wanted to say something to her. To tell her something extremely important before Milah had pulled him away. Jennifer would not let that happen.

She would give them time to say what needed to be said.

So she went to the lake, stopping behind a tree to see Rumplestiltskin and Milah on a wool pelt. They were laughing together, talking softly. Milah was sitting on her side as Rumplestiltskin lied on his back; she was feeding him grapes, and when a little grape popped off the vine and landed in his eye, they shared a laugh as Rumplestiltskin rubbed the poked eye. Then they kissed sweetly, the slow and gentle kiss that Jennifer had repeated in her mind over and over and over again that she and Rumplestiltskin would have shared.

Her heart ached when Milah whispered, "I love you, Rumple." And then, it broke five times over when he whispered, "I love you too, Milah."

Jennifer touched the bite on her neck.

Well...it seemed clearer to her that she and Rumplestiltskin were truly never meant to be together. No power of seduction would be able to sway Rumplestiltskin from Milah; the way they watched one another, the way they whispered soft nothings in their ears, and then the way they kissed and kissed, and kissed some more. Jennifer felt her heart shatter, stepping back, when, at that moment, Rumplestiltskin asked Milah to marry him.

Well, it appeared she had waited too long and now it seemed too late.

She wanted him—so much, but Rumplestiltskin was clearly happy with his chosen flower.

Jennifer left before they could see her.

The same night, Jennifer's heart was still hurting. What had been aching and devastation had slowly turned to one of irrational hate. Hatred for Milah. Hatred for Rumplestiltskin. She craved something to hurt as she had been hurt, to rip apart something so damn precious that it would stain the world forever. Jennifer wandered through the forest, her feet stomping the ground; she carelessly swung at a tree and when half of its thickness was tossed half a yard away, Jennifer was impressed at her strength, glancing at her hand to see she had sharp claws for nails, as sharp as daggers.

She felt empowered—but the pain in her heart refused to soften.

She heard movement of feet, and Jennifer stood on the sidelines to see a woman wrestling with firewood. She was walking oddly, cursing furiously under her breath. Jennifer thought of what the vampire said—that she could kill her selected. Well, maybe Jennifer didn't have to kill them completely. She could just take a few sips and be done with it—no one would be harmed.

When she approached, the woman suddenly dropped her firewood, and took out a dagger.

"Step back!"  
"I'm not going to hurt you," Jennifer had told her. "I—"

"BACK!" the woman was suddenly running towards her with the knife.

Frightened, but affronted, Jennifer braced herself. She pushed the woman before the dagger made contact, and then the woman was slammed into a tree; she grunted with the impact. Jennifer stared incredulously at her hand, obviously having not realized her strength. She then stepped towards the stranger, offering support and comfort, apologizing. The woman glared up at her, then with a hidden knife inside her dress threw it straight at Jennifer; it punctured her shoulder, and Jennifer whimpered.

Pain shot through her shoulder, but just as quickly as it had come, it was gone. Jennifer glanced at the puncture wound and noticed that it had already healed. Fear of dying left Jennifer...and was replaced with anger. How dare that woman try to kill her when she meant no harm! How dare she...HOW DARE SHE!

The rage was unbearable. The outlet needed to come.

Jennifer advanced to the woman who was now losing confidence in her ability to kill the vampire. Instead, she turned to run but Jennifer, angry as she was and now feeling the emotion with the same strength of two hearts, ran her dagger-like nails through the woman's stomach to simulate a pain far worse than a mere shoulder injury. Jennifer laughed—it felt so good to do the hurting instead of her being the one to hurt.

The woman spit up blood, her eyes widening and her voice managed two words that would forever haunt Jennifer.

"What are you saying?" Jennifer questioned.

"My..." She whispered.

"What?" Jennifer demanded. "What?"

The woman gestured to Jennifer's hand still inside her stomach. As Jennifer pulled her hand out, the woman wept and said those two words: "My...baby"

Jennifer stared at her hand. Her anger was replaced with immediate devastation, and self-loathing. What had she done...what had she done?

In her hands were two halves of an unborn infant. The head barely fit in the palm of Jennifer's hand, the fingers no bigger than the end of Jennifer's pinky. She dropped her hands down to her side, quickly backing up. Then she lost her footing and fell onto her back, her eyes tearing up. The woman was dead, her insides pooling around her; and her unborn son lied on the ground, in two.

000

Rumplestiltskin stared at Jennifer as she finished her tale, her face soaked wet from the dried and refreshed tears that came as she expelled her secret. Her head was buried in her hands as she could barely think to see the expression on Rumplestiltskin's face. Thankfully, the other villagers had gone to bed and couldn't overhear the story—and what a story it was.

"So..." Rumplestiltskin began. Jennifer looked up at him, sitting up. "You asked to become a vampire."

"Yes."

"Because of...me." Rumplestiltskin uttered slowly.

Jennifer nodded.

"But you never tried to dissuade me from her," Rumplestiltskin told Jennifer pointedly. "I don't even think we exchanged more than a hundred words between us in the days the wedding had been prepared." He took Jennifer's hands in his. "You could have told me what you felt for me, Jennifer."

"How could I?" Jennifer asked hoarsely. "I saw you and Milah at the lake. You looked so happy, and I couldn't bring myself to do it."

"You gave up your own happiness. You had the power to seduce me, to pull me away from Milah. But you gave up your true happiness for the sake of my own?" Rumplestiltskin asked quietly.

Jennifer smiled weakly, but it was a damn good confirmation.

Rumplestiltskin sighed deeply, taking this in. The adoration he held for Jennifer seemed to only grow.

He looked at her for a moment, saying, "Did you ever see him again? The vampire that turned you?"

"No." Jennifer said, wiping her cheeks.

Another moment passed. Rumplestiltskin spoke delicately, knowing Jennifer's temporary fragile state, "Did anyone ever find the mother and her son?"

"How do you think the town found me out?" Jennifer whispered unhappily.

"We thought wolves did it," Rumplestiltskin offered.

"I made you all think that," Jennifer muttered. "But when I started ducking the sun, hiding in caves, and my face began to pale—well, people started catching on. The fact that one of the wives of the sickly man three shacks away caught me drinking from her husband only publicized what the people here already suspected."

Rumplestiltskin looked at Jennifer, who was slowly putting herself together. Coming to the open with a dark secret kept for many years was difficult—after practicing to keep it under guard, it would be difficult to allow it to willingly resurface. Not to mention that it would be frightening as hell.

Jennifer sighed shakily.

Rumplestiltskin said lightly, "You think what you've done to the mother and her son makes you a bad mother?"

"Look at me, Rumple. I have fangs and yellow eyes. I feed on people to live and sustain, and because I feel deeper than two human beings, I can hardly control my emotions. The closer I am to people, the more dangerous I am. I can't be a mother—I'd be too overprotective, and I would be too dangerous."

"Baelfire isn't looking for another mother," Rumplestiltskin said, chuckling a little. "He's fourteen."

"But I was hoping for a family of my own," Jennifer admitted quietly.

"Ah..." he muttered, "And now we are at the summit of your dilemma. Is that why you wish to leave?"

"Leave?" Jennifer gasped, reacting. "I don't want to leave you!"

Rumplestiltskin looked puzzled, saying, "Then maybe I heard you wrong. You said you wanted a family of your own."

"I do," Jennifer stated. "I want a husband, and a child. It's the life I always wanted with you."

"And how is this wish of yours changed?"

"It hasn't." Jennifer returned.

Rumplestiltskin looked at her, perplexed.

"I'm confused," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"I want to be a mother, but I can never be. Baelfire means the world to me, but he will always be your son, not ours. His biological mother is gone and since I am a vampire now, I don't exactly have that biological preset for being a mother." Jennifer uttered. "And I can't have the family I want—not with you, or anyone."

"Anyone..." repeated Rumplestiltskin.

Jennifer nodded, saying, "By trying to be your happy ending, Rumple, I had mine taken from me."

"And your happy ending is..."

"Having your child," Jennifer returned quietly.

Rumplestiltskin suddenly had a wonderful epiphany moment. She was infertile. And for someone who'd loved him so deeply all the years and wanted to be with him, not having the ability to bear his own child would definitely be Jennifer's worst fear come true. Rumplestiltskin smiled sadly at her, but the expression of love and understanding remained.

"I didn't know I would become barren after being a vampire," Jennifer explained unhappily. "The bastard seemed to forget to tell me all I needed to know before I agreed to it." She shook her head, scoffing, "I was an idiot for thinking I could have everything."

"But you can," Rumplestiltskin offered. "You've shown me plenty of loyalty, Jennifer, and I would be more than happy to take you as my bride...if you'd have me."

Jennifer smiled, saying, "But Baelfire..."

"Baelfire isn't looking for a mother," Rumplestiltskin pointed out. "But that's not to say he would refuse you as his maternal figure."

"I can't be a mother, Rumple." Jennifer emphasized.

"You've shown me otherwise," Rumplestiltskin reasoned.

"How?"

"When the knights were ready to take Bae from me that night in the forest, you were ready to give your life to protect him."

"But..."

"And I have seen you sit by him throughout the night," Rumplestiltskin pointed out. "You comfort him in his sleep when he has nightmares, and the moment he hears your voice, he's instantly calmed."

"But I can't be a mother." Jennifer insisted.

"In my opinion, you already are," Rumplestiltskin returned humorously.

"I can't have children," Jennifer responded.

"That doesn't stop you from caring for my son," Rumplestiltskin reminded.

"I don't even look like a mother, Rumple! Look at what I am!"

Rumplestiltskin smiled, saying, "Well I am a father, and look at me!"

"You're unbearable," Jennifer returned, but the smile crossed her face.

"And that's something you will simply have to live with, dearie—forever."

Jennifer felt touched by his response. They kissed a second before Rumplestiltskin pulled away, asking, "You really did that to a woman? What prompted you to do it?"

"Rage," Jennifer responded. "I told you I am a blood thirsty, cold-blooded monster. I wasn't say that just to keep up with social appearances."

Rumplestiltskin chortled, "Ah—cold-blooded and bitingly sarcastic."

"I'm sorry, but I have never regretted something so deeply in my life. I meant to kill the woman—the child though...Rumple, it eats away at me that the child never has known life or his mother...how can I possibly forgive myself for that?"

"Well, you can start making it up to someone whose mother has gone. That's a start." Rumplestiltskin offered, pointing his eyes to the cottage in which Baelfire was still napping.

"I think I can do that," Jennifer whispered. "Also, can we keep this whole conversation between us?"

Rumplestiltskin nodded, "Let's seal the deal the way it should be done between the Dark One and his beloved vampire."

Jennifer smiled endearingly, and they kissed in the same gentle, soft way she had seen him kiss Milah; in the same way that Jennifer remembered always having wanted to be kissed. He held her shoulders; she, his arms, and as they kissed gently, the campfire before them that had been dead of any light was now lit by a strong, dancing flame.

Jennifer glanced at it curiously.

"Did you..." Jennifer began.

Rumplestiltskin glanced at the fireplace with curiosity, smirking at Jennifer as he answered, "Well, apparently your powers of seduction have a way of seducing me after all...even, as the Dark One." He leaned in and whispered, "let's keep that secret between us, hm?"

Jennifer nodded, kissing his cheek.


	7. To Be A Mother

It took her less than a minute to arrive at her destination for her speed was greatly enhanced by the vampire cells but to likely prove to her that he could just poof where he wanted to be, Rumplestiltskin took Jennifer's hand and she'd arrived inside it with minimal problems. It was awfully dark to anyone who didn't have her night vision, and owing to this, she'd brought candles from the village and placed them in the candle holders around the floor of the cavernous home. Shadows danced along the thick echoing walls; Rumplestiltskin watched Jennifer lie down on her pelt, and her eyes warranted the invitation he had hoped for.

"Do you have to stay here?" Rumplestiltskin asked, looking at the cavern's ceiling; sometimes, when it rained, Jennifer said the water would drip from the stalactites. Hardly befitting for his love interest.

"It's the only place I can go," Jennifer returned tiredly, sitting up. "The sun doesn't come in through any windows or doors, and no man or woman would venture into a dark cave."

"No smart person would," Rumplestiltskin muttered, glancing at the entrance with a look then looking back at her; the expression on her face was mischievous, so he questioned it: "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"If I didn't know any better," Jennifer mewed, "I would say you're becoming awfully protective of me."

He joined her on the pelt, saying, "Well, a man has to protect what belongs to him."

"Does he?" she teased.

He lifted the index finger of his right hand and traced her jaw from her earlobe to her chin as he uttered lowly, "Yes...he does."

"Well, you needn't worry," Jennifer sighed, smiling. "I chose this cave because of its location and its enormity. Most people who value their self-preservation tend not to enter where they know they are unwelcome." She leaned back on her elbows, smirking at him: "I've been at this game for quite some time; people aren't accustomed to sacrificing themselves just to get a look at the monster."

"You're no monster," Rumplestiltskin said.

"In your opinion," Jennifer pointed out.

He gave her a look and she returned it sardonically. After a moment, he rolled his eyes. This woman could be a real tease—both sexually, and a jester.

"Besides, as I said," Jennifer stated, "the sun doesn't come through the walls and there are not any windows for it to come through either."

"You know, that's a puzzling thing," Rumplestiltskin pointed out. "I have never seen a vampire burst into flame in the sunlight."

"Most people aren't taken to the idea of experimenting," Jennifer reasoned. "And neither am I."

"Any close calls?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"A few—but I haven't ever burst into flames." Jennifer returned. "Technically, that isn't what happens."

"Then what?" he questioned.

Jennifer smirked at him, saying, "Why such fierce curiosity?"

"If possible," Rumplestiltskin told her, "I'd rather have you living with me—not in this cave, out in the open."

"It's not in the open."

"Not the point," Rumplestiltskin responded quickly.

Jennifer continued to smirk at him, saying, "Fine. I will tell you what happens to vampires when they walk into the sunlight. But I don't see what good it will do."

"Why not?"

"Because I have been in your cottage, Rumple. You have no basement or anything in which I can sleep and the windows and doors let in all kinds of sunlight. Let's not even mention the roof."

"Well, Dearest, you just mentioned it," Rumplestiltskin said.

"You know what I mean."

"I can fix that, you know."

"How."

"Dark One," Rumplestiltskin reminded, indicating himself. "I have a lot of power. I can give you anything you could possibly desire. A room of your choice, a better cottage or, if you prefer...a cave without a leaky ceiling."

Jennifer laughed at the last, which obviously had been intended for that purpose alone. Her laugh seemed to echo along the walls and bounce to and fro, but the sound made Rumplestiltskin smile, satisfied that he had humored her.

"A basement would be more fitting," Jennifer suggested. "No windows. The darker, the better."

"Living in a world without any light for save the moon, I thought you'd like a few candles to light your way," Rumplestiltskin told her, smiling at the pun.

"I sleep best in darkness—as does anyone." Jennifer told him.

"Then that is what I will give you. Now," Rumplestiltskin stated, "tell me what happens when you are exposed to sunlight."

Jennifer moved closer to him as he lied on his side so he faced her. She held her palm up to him and he took it so their fingers interlaced together. As they spoke, he searched her eyes, becoming lost to their human blue color, lost in their depth as she only looked at him with more trust and love than he could have ever hoped for. As Jennifer spoke, she relished the moment of intimacy, sharing parts with her that she had long ago felt would never be understood, never the less, loved.

"In the first few minutes, the skin burns," Jennifer whispered. "It starts to look like a sunburn—whatever amount of skin is being exposed, it first turns red, and burns like hell."

"Speaking from experience?"

Jennifer nodded, saying, "I was several miles from this cave when I lost track of time. Sun came up and I was covered—head to toe—with sunburns. It hurt like a bitch." She continued.

"In a few hours," she said, "blisters form, and they pop, and from those places, more blisters form and do the same thing, creating craters too large and deep for the skin to heal, to regenerate. I hear it is excruciatingly painful. And when we've been in the sun for something like eight hours or so, our skin kind of flakes, falls off, and our muscles start to bleed out underneath, charring until we are left with nothing but our bones and a burnt corpse."

Rumplestiltskin stared at her.

"You have an interesting way of describing the most horrific things in life," Rumplestiltskin muttered.

"'Interesting', how?" Jennifer asked.

"Just..." Rumplestiltskin struggled to explain but how could he tell her that her voice would become sultry as she explained such a horrific death. Her voice had a way of deepening to such seductive soft volumes and being laced with that natural lust for horror that it penetrated Rumplestiltskin's very core.

"Interesting," Rumplestiltskin returned, unable to explain it.

Jennifer smirked, saying, "If I didn't know better, I would think you liked my vampire side."

"Not just that," Rumplestiltskin returned. "I adore it. It makes you who you are."

"And that doesn't put you off?" Jennifer asked.

"Why would it?" he responded, chuckling. "After all, I am the one that asked for the details."

"You did ask," Jennifer noted. "And was it everything you hoped it would be?"

Rumplestiltskin returned, "Better."

"Oh? How was it bet—"

Rumplestiltskin cut her off by kissing her and after she recovered from the surprise, she kissed him back.

"What were you saying?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"Um..." Jennifer began. "Nothing—I wasn't asking anything."

"Good," Rumplestiltskin replied, kissing her again.

She giggled when he waved his hand, and all the candles were snuffed out simultaneously.

000

Rumplestiltskin was true to his word when he told her he'd create a basement for her. Underneath the cottage, along with the other homey improvements, he created a cellar. As promised, he made sure no sunlight would leak through the walls or the cellar door that was created to allow her to come in from the outside. He enchanted a lock where only she would be able to open it—Rumplestiltskin had the ability to transport himself inside without a key, and if Jennifer was feeling a little ferocious, Baelfire would be unable to enter and risk exposing himself to her monstrous side—or anyone else for that matter.

In the cellar, Rumplestiltskin provided Jennifer with a bed, fireplace, a table with two chairs, and a few decorations that made it more inhabitable for a human than a vampire. When Jennifer had come out of the cave a night later, he surprised her with the cellar. With him was Baelfire, who looked at Jennifer with a kind smile. He'd interacted with her a few more times since the incident with Hordor, but normally, he would prefer drawing alone and keeping to himself. Evidently, he wasn't as happy as Rumplestiltskin made him out to be, but Jennifer said nothing. Baelfire had to be in the cottage by himself quite frequently for Rumplestiltskin kept a protective close eye on him as much as he did for her.

And while Jennifer found it charming and sweet, Baelfire seemed to feel more trapped and isolated. Jennifer gave him a light smile when Rumplestiltskin used magic to light the cellar so his son could see just what a wonderful job he had done with the place. Jennifer thanked Rumplestiltskin and kissed him on the cheek, while Baelfire instantly turned away, shyly looking anywhere he could.

"No windows, no sunlight," Rumplestiltskin told her. "What do you think?"

"Homey," Jennifer mused, sitting on the bed. She gave Baelfire a smile and she bounced on the bed.

"What are you doing?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"I thought maybe I would test the bounce," Jennifer returned.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to jump on it. Weeee!" Jennifer said, suddenly standing on her bed and jumping up and down.

Baelfire snorted with laughter, amused by her spontaneity. Jennifer giggled and said, "Come on, Baelfire. You know you want to do it."

Baelfire shook his head, but his laughter continued.

"You're only fourteen," Jennifer encouraged while Rumplestiltskin stared at her as though she had gone mad, "You're only young once!"

Rumplestiltskin watched Baelfire take her advice and he started jumping on the bed with her. Jennifer tried to goad Rumplestiltskin into jumping too but he only stared at them as though both she and his son had lost their minds. After she realized he wouldn't be joining them and she and Baelfire had started panting from the energy expended, Jennifer hopped off the bed with a flourish. Baelfire giggled when she approached his father, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Don't worry, Rumples," Jennifer mused. "We're still sane."

Baelfire chuckled at the nickname Jennifer gave him. As Jennifer opened the lock, Baelfire giggled, walking out of the cellar with her, while Rumplestiltskin continued to watch them incredulously, but spared no expense trying to figure out what the hell happened. Joining them on level ground, Rumplestiltskin saw Jennifer speaking to Baelfire in what was best described as the living room. Baelfire sat on a chair at the table, while Jennifer was on her knees in front of him, so they could speak at an eye-level.

Rumplestiltskin kept a fair distance away so they thought he was still in the cellar.

"I want to go outside and play with the other children," Baelfire uttered sadly.

Her soft voice uttered, "You know he's only keeping you here to protect you, right?"

"Yeah, but I feel more trapped than protected." Baelfire admitted unhappily.

"It's not so bad," Jennifer offered. "You could be in a cave."

Baelfire gave her a look conveying confusion and she said dismissively, "Er...nevermind. Look...just try to understand, okay? He's the Dark One now...a lot of people can misunderstand..."

"What's to misunderstand?" asked Baelfire, looking away from her. "He hurts a lot of people now. Sometimes, for no reason."

"He has his reasons," Jennifer offered.

"I'm sure he does," Baelfire muttered, unconvinced.

Jennifer pushed back his hair from his forehead with a loving sweeping gesture, her hands cupping his small face. Her eyes searched his and when he finally looked at her, she said gently, "Your father loves you, Bae. He loves you more than anything or anyone in this world."

"Even...Even you?" asked Baelfire quietly.

Jennifer must have looked at him, puzzled, because he said, "I've seen the way you two are together—even when you think I am not looking or you think I'm asleep."

Rumplestiltskin watched Baelfire smile knowingly.

"You talk to each other like you've known one another for ages."

"Baelfire, your father and I..."

Baelfire smiled saying, "You love each other."

Jennifer nodded, saying, "I love your father a great deal."

"And he loves you more." Baelfire stated.

"And how do you know that?" asked Jennifer quietly.

"He hurts everyone else," Baelfire whispered. "Everyone we've ever talked to or had dealings with in the past. He hurts them—sometimes he kills them. But he's done nothing to you, like he's done nothing to me. And I know why—he loves me. But he's done more for you than me."

"That's not true," Jennifer uttered. "Baelfire, you hold a place in his heart that no one—not even I—will ever be able to replace. You're his son, love. And you mean the world to him."

"Then why won't he let me go out with the other children?" asked Baelfire.

"Because he doesn't want to lose you."

"He wouldn't lose me," Baelfire responded strongly. "I love Papa."

"I think he has a hard time understanding," Jennifer said lightly, "that we have to let the people we love go so they can come back, and love us even more. And he's simply afraid of losing you. Most people fear for the safety of their children—the physical safety—but he's more afraid someone will take you."

"But I'm in here all the time," Baelfire reasoned. "How can anyone take me?"

"Not your body, Bae," Jennifer chuckled. She touched Baelfire's chest, whispering, "Your love."

"So why can't you leave?" asked Baelfire.

"I can leave."

"To that cave," Baelfire answered. "But now you're going to be staying in the cellar. You'll be trapped here too, just like me."

Jennifer sighed. This child was hard to explain anything to. She stood when he seemed no longer interested in anything more she had to say; he simply went back to his drawings. Jennifer heard the kettle whistling over the fire, so she moved to the kitchen, taking it off and placing it on the table. She heard shifting of movements and clothes. Only natural that Rumplestiltskin had appeared beside her.

Jennifer looked up at him to see that he was clearly troubled.

"You heard him, didn't you?" asked Jennifer, knowingly.

"I heard you both," he replied.

Jennifer shrugged saying, "I tried explaining it to him, Rumple. But he's not exactly happy and unhappy children make it hard to explain anything to them."

Rumplestiltskin nodded, watching her pour tea into three cups. As she meant to add sugar and such to it, he stopped her by placing a hand on her arm. Curious as to his intentions, Jennifer looked up at him to meet his eyes. He seemed as though he was needing to talk, or at least to get something off his chest.

"Rumple?" she said gently.

"You don't feel...trapped...here, do you?" asked Rumplestiltskin.

"Of course not. I feel..." she searched for the word "I feel safe. I always feel safe around you."

"Even when I'm hurting people?" he asked.

"I hurt people too," Jennifer admitted pointedly. "I think we can agree that the both of us have done things we are not proud of in order to protect the people we love...and ourselves."

"Baelfire is unhappy," Rumplestiltskin declared sadly. "I've tried giving him everything—a new home" (he indicated the cottage) "new drawing utensils, better clothes, a better life...I don't know how to make things better between us."

"Baelfire feels trapped," Jennifer consoled.

"But you said..."

"I feel safe," Jennifer clarified. "However, I have become accustomed to isolating myself from other people. A large crowd makes me nervous; Baelfire has never experienced the feelings of isolation, so he feels 'trapped'. Beautiful birds are not meant to stay in cages, Love."

"I don't know what to do," Rumplestiltskin declaring, shaking his head, twisting his face into one of frustration and helplessness.

Jennifer moved closer to him, offering consolation.

"Give him your trust," Jennifer offered.

Rumplestiltskin stared at her, perplexed.

"He wants to play with other children," Jennifer explained. "Give him your trust."

"But I may lose him."

"The things we love are never lost—they always come back to us." Jennifer whispered; she lifted her hand to his face, grazing his cheek with the back of her hand with a soft and gentle caress. "Just as I will always come back to you. So will he."

Rumplestiltskin muttered, "I almost lost him before. That's the whole reason why I took the Dark One's power. So I can protect him, always...And I have seen the devastation of parents when they know they've lost their children forever. I can't allow that to happen..." He mentioned the parents who'd never seen their children again after Hordor had come to collect them.

"Baelfire loves you, Rumple. He'd never leave you," said Jennifer kindly.

"How do you know?" asked Rumplestiltskin.

"If my parents gave me as much protection, love, and understanding as you've given to keep him close to you," Jennifer uttered sweetly, "I would have never left."

"You turned into a vampire—and your parents feared you." Rumplestiltskin pointed out. "People are afraid of things they do not understand. That's their mistake—on a list of many."

"Then don't make the same mistake my parents made," Jennifer offered.

The confusion reappeared on Rumplestiltskin's face again and she clarified.

"Don't drive him away...not when he needs you most," she uttered, glancing back to see Baelfire, lowering his head on the table on top of his crossed arms.

Rumplestiltskin looked at Jennifer, then at Baelfire, then back to her. The internal struggle he was having inside of his heart reflected onto his face and he just simply shook his head. He pushed Jennifer's hand from him, saying, "Keeping him close to me is the only way I know he will never be taken."

He walked outside for the fresh air. She watched after him, returning her eyes to the cup of the tea that she suddenly had no desire to drink.

Baelfire appeared at her side suddenly, startling her.

"Did you talk to him?" he asked hopefully.

"I tried," Jennifer returned. She offered him a cup of tea, and he took it politely but seemed as desired to drink it as she.

"I told you," Baelfire pointed out.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jennifer muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe we can be trapped together," Baelfire said. He suddenly brightened saying, "Do you know how to play 'war'?"

"'War'?" asked Jennifer.

"Instead of swords, we use sticks," Baelfire explained.

"Ah, like sword play," she returned.

"Yeah—you wanna try?"

"I don't know how," Jennifer said.

"I can teach you," Baelfire offered.

Jennifer hesitated, saying, "I don't know if I should."

"Because of the vampire thing?" asked Baelfire.

Jennifer looked at him—the boy spoke his mind, that was sure. Whatever came to his head, came out of his mouth. Jennifer's lack of denial and confirmation set Baelfire on the path to say what he said next.

"I'm not afraid of you anymore, Jennifer," he said quietly. "I was at first, but you were scary back then. You never said anything to anyone because of what you are. So I guess I should be afraid but Papa is the Dark One and if he's protecting me like you say he is, then he wouldn't let someone so dangerous near me. Since you're here..." He walked over to the corner of the house and held out two sticks that were about the size of swords, and walked over to where she still stood.

"Baelfire..." Jennifer muttered.

"Come on—I'll show you." Baelfire encouraged. "It's not hard."

"I'm not exactly in the mood to fight."

"Well, you have anything better to do?" Baelfire remarked.

Well, shit. The kid's got a point. Jennifer thought. She sighed and took the pre offered stick.

"En guarde!" Baelfire immediately shouted, raising his stick to suddenly bat hers away and he did so successfully. He added as a foot note: "That means the duel is starting."

"Thanks for the warning," Jennifer remarked sarcastically, but a smile tugged at her lips.

Obviously, Baelfire saw it too for his eyes twinkled mischievously.

Rumplestiltskin came back in to apologize to Jennifer for leaving so abruptly, but he stopped in place when he saw his son and Jennifer playing 'war' (as the kids called it). Jennifer and Baelfire were going at each other with the stick, hacking and thrusting their 'sword' at one another and Baelfire was parrying while Jennifer came nearest, and then he would come for the attack and she would parry (badly). He then poked her in the stomach.

"I stabbed you!" Baelfire told her.

He leaned in and whispered, "That means you have to pretend you're hurt where I stabbed you. Since it's your belly, you have to kinda lean forward like this."

He did as he said, and Jennifer stated, "That looks incredibly uncomfortable."

"You have no choice," Baelfire instructed, twirling his stick professionally. "You're stabbed."

"That's not fair," Jennifer quarreled playfully.

"Life's not fair. Now..." Baelfire said, aiming the end of the stick at her face, "Prepare for end of the duel!"

"There's an end?" Jennifer questioned.

"Yeah—one of us has to yield, and it will not be me!" Baelfire called out, and he did some flashy movements with the stick, saying, "Because I have been at this a lot longer than you, and I know you've never fought before now, you would have lost anyway."

"Hardly sporting," Jennifer returned, looking at her stick.

"Not the point," Baelfire reminded.

"What must I do?" she surrendered.

"You have to kneel on the ground and then slowly—and I do mean slowly—pretend to die."

Jennifer stared at him, saying, "How exactly do you pretend to die?"

"Haven't you ever played any games before?" Baelfire asked.

"Ironically—most of the games I played did not involve a lot of make-believe," Jennifer offered vaguely.

"Well, this one does," Baelfire stated pointedly, "So you'll have to learn."

"You're really bossy," Jennifer said, pointing her stick at him.

"And you don't know how to die," Baelfire shot back, giggling.

"I do too know how to die," Jennifer took the bait.

"Then do it," Baelfire said.

He made a flourish of his 'sword' and placed it just between her stomach and arm so it appeared to the wandering ignorant eye that she had been run through. Baelfire giggled when Jennifer could barely sell the part of being stabbed, none the less, dying. She made some gargling noises as she slumped forward and lied down on her front, continuing to gargle and make 'ahh' noises.

"You're terrible at this," Baelfire stated, snorting with laughter as Jennifer continued to go 'ahh' and 'bleehhhh'.

"You taught me—what does that say about you?" asked Jennifer.

"You're not supposed to talk—you're dead."

"You'd be amazed how much dead people can talk," Jennifer returned.

"Well you're not one of them—so be quiet," Baelfire remarked with much sass.

Jennifer sighed deeply and closed her eyes, sticking her tongue out. Baelfire placed a foot on top of her back and said loudly, "I have vanquished my foe! Everyone is free to walk in safety!"

Jennifer muttered, "This game was rigged from the beginning."

Baelfire giggled, taking his foot off her back. She sat up, smiling at him.

Meanwhile, Rumplestiltskin, who had watched the whole thing, was leaning against the doorway, a look of amusement and love on his face. He had just watched his son and beloved interact a great deal more than he'd ever witnessed Baelfire with Milah. It was almost as though she was just destined to be his mother. If things had worked out differently, in an alternative world, Baelfire may just have had Jennifer's eyes and biting sarcasm.

Jennifer saw Baelfire look to the door and she saw Rumplestiltskin. Seeing that his presence had been made known, he said, "So Bae beat yet another rival."

"Can't blame her, Papa," Baelfire stated as he watched Rumplestiltskin help Jennifer to her feet. "This was her first fight."

"The beginning of many to come," Jennifer reminded Baelfire, "And it will be the last time you beat me."

"Wouldn't count on it," Baelfire remarked. "I'm the best there is when it comes to playing 'war'."

"For now, little one," Jennifer teased. "For now."

"For now," Baelfire mused and with a devilish grin, added, "And always."

"We'll see about that," Jennifer said with a dangerous tone and when Baelfire stared at her, startled, she suddenly grinned and he made a sigh of relief.

"You got me," Baelfire admitted.

"Bae..." Rumplestiltskin said softly, "you know what time it is."

"I know," Baelfire replied politely. "Bed time. I'll get ready."

"Good boy," Rumplestiltskin commended.

He took the sticks and placed them against the door, then turned to look at Jennifer.

"Thanks for playing with me, Jennifer." He made a bow.

Jennifer, in return, did a little curtsy, bowing her head. Baelfire chuckled as he went to his room. Rumplestiltskin looked at her, a smug little look on his face.

"What?" Jennifer questioned defensively.

"'I can't be a mother'," Rumplestiltskin repeated her words. "From what I have seen, you did wonderfully."

"You saw all of that?" asked Jennifer.

"The better half of it," Rumplestiltskin said. "Your portrayal of a dying performance was a little enlightening."

Jennifer shrugged, saying, "Just because I died once doesn't mean I can't downplay it a little. The kid needed a hearty laugh so I just kinda played the part, you know."

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her when she walked over to the side of the room, taking a stick, and placed the end just underneath the gold shimmering column of his throat. He eyed her curiously and Jennifer whispered seductively, "Maybe one day...you'll let me show you my own bit of warfare."

"Does it involve wooden sticks?" Rumplestiltskin asked, taking it from her.

"War is physical," Jennifer breathed, pulling herself to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "A little give, a little take. Mostly take..." She moved her hips against him.

Rumplestiltskin placed the stick's pointy end alongside her hip.

"It's going to be hard to take me on with a simple wooden stick and a sharpened point, dearie," Rumplestiltskin whispered.

Jennifer's face was close to his, their lips only a small centimeter from touching. Their hips aligned and pressed against the other; Jennifer could feel the excitement burrowing inside him as a different wooden object was pressed against the heated core between her legs.

"I don't need a stick to win you over, Dark One," Jennifer breathed.

"Is that so?" drawled Rumplestiltskin.

Jennifer pressed her mouth against his upper lip. Their eyes closed to live in the moment as Jennifer dropped her hands along his chest, her fingers leaving a trail of fire while they pressed down through his clothes; she moved one hand along the part of his chest that was exposed, due to the tunic's design and followed the exposed skin inside under the shirt to touch areas of hidden flesh. Rumplestiltskin sighed deeply when her hands left him so she could explore his body downward. Rumplestiltskin smiled at her—although he kept his eyes closed, he didn't need to see her face to know she wanted him; he could feel it in the way her fingers were starting to ravage instead of explore; he could hear her breathing quicken, and against him, he could feel her body radiating heat like mad.

"Wait until Bae is asleep," Rumplestiltskin told her quietly when he heard the sudden backdrop of foot falls coming down the stairs, taking her hands in his so when Baelfire came down, he only saw them together, holding hands and lightly kissing.

Jennifer turned to him, and Baelfire looked taken aback. Rumplestiltskin gazed at him curiously, but saw what frightened him.

"Jennifer," Rumplestiltskin muttered.

She looked at him, perplexed: "What?"

"Your eyes." He said.

They were bright yellow, with the rattlesnake slits.

"Oh..." Jennifer closed her eyes; she inhaled deeply then exhaled softly. When she opened them, they were back to being their usual blue. And Baelfire looked a great deal more relaxed.

"Are you okay?" asked Baelfire, stepping towards her.

"I'm fine," Jennifer returned.

Rumplestiltskin and Jennifer exchanged knowing glances; she had a hard time controlling her little vampire tendencies while under a great deal of intense emotions. Anger was one...and her attraction to Rumplestiltskin seemed to ignite her passions. Rumplestiltskin suppressed a smirk when Jennifer explained that she was just reflecting on a few things and he had nothing to fear.

"Thanks again for playing," Baelfire said gratefully. "You'll get better—I promise."

"With enough practice," Rumplestiltskin coached Jennifer, "You may just be able to disarm him."

"You...you," Jennifer began to retaliate and upon glancing at Baelfire, who was waiting with the same expression as Rumplestiltskin for her to shoot a zinger, she finally said, "You...shut up!"

"Nice," Baelfire giggled.

Jennifer shook her head. She threw her hands up in the air, uttering, "Men..." and Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire glanced at each other before laughing.

In that moment, it seemed as though the feelings of entrapment would have stopped but Baelfire would only continue to feel like this until Jennifer tried to intervene. He'd be happy for a few days, and when things went back to normal—as normal being Rumplestiltskin continuing to terrorize people for either hurting Baelfire on accident or making a catty remark at Jennifer—Baelfire's sadness would resume, his feelings of isolation and entrapment becoming stronger.


	8. Lost

Author's Note: Thank you for all those lovely reviews! I'll try to keep doing you all proud ;-)

In the weeks that followed, Rumplestiltskin was busied by a few people—he'd make a few deals and people would back out so he would have to make them pay, normally by hurting them, or worse. One day, a man had accidentally ('accidentally' being the key word here) hurt Baelfire while on the move down the road and, sure, Rumplestiltskin had listened to Baelfire's protests, he simply turned the man into a snail and squished him. He had hurt Baelfire, and he had to protect his son.

It was the beginning of many bad days for Baelfire, who had only insisted that they be together like before...well, with Jennifer included. He'd asked Rumplestiltskin to give up his power, to find a cure so they could be together as they had been before magic. He and Rumplestiltskin made the deal, saying if Baelfire could in fact find a way to get rid of his father's power without hurting him, Baelfire, or Jennifer, then Rumplestiltskin would do it. The deal was struck.

In the last several days, Rumplestiltskin had hired a maid by the name of Onora. She had light blonde hair, a gentle timid face, and when she was hired to work for the Dark One, she had been nervous, scared even. When she realized that in the cellar below nested a vampire—who turned out to be the Dark One's love—well, Onora was scared shitless. What kept her coming into the cottage to clean and leaving with her nerves still intact was Baelfire's pleasant existence; the maid would talk to Baelfire a lot about simple things. She had no children herself, having been born to a family who weren't well off and having no intentions of a love interest, Onora was pretty damn lonely. So working for the Dark One didn't seem so bad when she had the little boy to keep her company. In the day, she would clean, make dinner, or fetch straw so Rumplestiltskin could do what he liked to do: spin straw into gold.

The first time Onora had seen this, she had been shocked out of her girdle; he paid her with the strings of gold. And after a time, she was given extra duties, more things to busy her time and she would leave at the end of the day, when the sun was setting. All the days she worked, she'd left before the sun would set—Baelfire had told her that around that time is when Jennifer would awaken and would crawl out of the cellar, refreshed and refined.

It was that time of evening.

Jennifer woke up, all right. But 'refined' was not the correct word for how she appeared. When she came out of the cellar doors, she looked exceptionally tired. Jennifer was a beautiful woman, regardless if she looked unkempt—a woman of immeasurable beauty (and vampire genes) always appeared beautiful when a normal woman with the same amount of energy (or really, lack of) would have looked despicable.

Over the few days, Rumplestiltskin had fashioned her better dresses that made her form look even more appealing, a little too desirable, since some of the men in the village who'd looked on her with little interest (for they also knew what she was) were sometimes caught ogling her. Jennifer paid no attention to them, although Rumplestiltskin caught their glances. If she did see it, it would bother her greatly, it was only an annoyance.

Now, as she walked out of the cellar and turned to head to the cottage, the men looked at her with dopey grins.

"What...the fuck..." she growled, "are you looking at?"

They sensed her deadly tone and they immediately scrambled into their cottages, dodging her. Jennifer frowned at them, rolling her eyes.

So her mood wasn't the best. She had plenty of good days—she could take a bad one. Jennifer rubbed her temples as she walked into the cottage; Baelfire glanced at her curiously when she didn't say 'good evening' as she always did in her sweet voice, and became wary when she sat at the table, continuing to rub her temples as though she was having an extremely bad headache. Seeing her pained expression, Baelfire stood to his feet and fetched her a cup of tea, placing in front of her.

"That might help," Baelfire offered sweetly.

She said nothing back.

"Jennifer..." he uttered quietly. "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" she managed calmly, although something else seemed to bubble to the surface. She pressed her eyelids tightly together, looking at him with those doey blue eyes—they might have been bright yellow to start with, but she'd tamed her irritation...at least for his sake.

"I'm sorry," Jennifer apologized softly. "I'm not feeling the best right now."

"Baelfire..."

Jennifer heard a female's voice and her eyes shot in the direction as Onora entered the cottage. Jennifer stared at her, standing slowly to her feet. Baelfire looked at her curiously, shocked as Jennifer placed an arm in front of Baelfire.

"Who are you!" Jennifer demanded.

"I..." Onora began.

"Who are you!" Jennifer questioned fiercely. She stepped towards her, but Baelfire caught her arm.

"Easy, Jennifer—it's just Onora."

Jennifer looked at Baelfire, surprised, returning, "Who?"

"Onora," Baelfire repeated. "The maid. She works for us now."

Jennifer looked at Onora who had pressed her back so close against the wall to avoid whatever wrath might have sprung she looked as though she might fall through. Jennifer watched Baelfire quickly take the maid's hand, bringing her over although Jennifer had already done quite a number on her: the woman could scarcely move her feet, looking as though she didn't want to be anywhere near a woman whose eyes changed colors.

"Onora..." Baelfire said, "This is Jennifer."

"The vampire," Onora said, and immediately (like anyone who would meet a vampire), she shielded her neck with her hands.

"Don't worry," Baelfire reassured with a small smile, "She won't hurt you."

Jennifer smiled weakly at Baelfire who was vouching for her. While Baelfire tended to the greetings and exchanging of names and what Onora was doing as a house maid, Jennifer had been thinking a nice lovely idea of biting down on her neck, sucking until Onora looked like a very thin twig, and then relishing in some feel-good sex with Rumplestiltskin whenever he returned...from wherever he was, currently (She hadn't even noticed his absence until now). Jennifer looked at Baelfire, who was waiting for something.

"What?" Jennifer asked.

"Do you want her to buy something at the market to help your headache?" Baelfire repeated.

"No." Jennifer mumbled, shaking her head. "Um...no, no, I will be fine." More directly, she added, "It'll pass."

"A-a-are you sure?" Onora stammered.

Jennifer nodded, but she continued staring at the maid until Baelfire said she could go and the woman nearly tripped over her own two feet scrambling to get out the door in time before the hungry-looking predator bounded after her. Jennifer considered giving her a five-minute head start so the maid could put her things in order before she came after her.

She excused herself, and left shortly after.

000

"Where does that woman live..." Jennifer muttered aloud, trying to sniff her out. She was using those senses her 'master'-if that's what she could even call him, the man that made her into what she is today—told her were so acute and so special. She could smell a frightened child nearly ten miles from her standpoint; that had been impressive. The frustrating part was finding a woman's address within the same village proved to be just too damn difficult—how the hell did that even make sense!

Jennifer scowled, clenching her fists.

"Who are you hunting this time?" An elderly man voiced harshly.

Jennifer laughed, her cynicism just pouring out of her as she slowly turned to see Lydia and Percy standing together, backed by five other village-goers. They all carried a number of blunt objects—daggers, swords, a few pitch forks, torches, the typical mob-scene routine that Jennifer had become all too accustomed to seeing. At some point long ago, she would have felt frightened and be chased off so easily. However, she was feeling much too tired, too hungry to care about the mob, and she certainly was not in the mood for vampire bashing.

Lydia and Percy looked very much determined. No longer did they appear frightened of her, although Lydia—being the mother—looked rather reluctant as always. Meanwhile the freshly gray-bearded Percy with his completely balded head and piercing blue eyes stared right through her as though Jennifer didn't exist. And to him, she knew, Jennifer was only the catalyst; for what really lived inside was a monster—the monster that took his daughter away.

"What do you want?" Jennifer asked flatly.

"I thought we made that clear last time," Percy stated, indicating the mob.

"The last time where you and your friends chased me out of your home?" Jennifer questioned. "Or the last time you two came sneaking into my home with the intention of killing me?"

"Bit of both, really," said a villager from behind them.

"Ah," Jennifer sighed with mocked sadness, "Sounds like betrayal...again."

"You can't be betrayed—you're not even human," Percy stated.

"Funnily enough, betrayal isn't always the human concept. But that doesn't matter. You can't hurt me anymore," Jennifer responded, pointing at him. "You don't mean much to me anymore. You're not my parents."

Lydia winced.

"Parents don't hurt their children," Jennifer said, digging into her mother's wounds. "Parents care about what happens to them."

"If we're your parents, why do you look as though you might attack us?" Percy responded smartly.

"You're the ones holding daggers, torches and pitchforks," Jennifer reminded, twirling a finger at their scene. "And I suggest you stop acting like you're better than me, knowing you tried to kill me in my own home while I was asleep. Luckily, I was up early. So, really, you evened the battlefield."

Lydia stepped past her husband, who tried to take her arm, but Lydia jerked it from him.

"Jennifer, please go—please leave."

"Dejavu," Jennifer muttered. Loudly, she said, "We have done all of this before. I say 'I'm not going anywhere'. You disagreed, telling me to leave. I say 'no', you all try to attack me...Somehow I gain the upper hand...rinse, and repeat."

"The Dark One isn't here to protect you, this time." Percy acknowledged humorously. "He's out with his son, on a walk. Won't be back until the moon is up. By then...who knows...you might be dead."

"I don't need him to protect me," Jennifer responded, laughing. "I've taken care of myself for a long time. You should know, Dad. You never protected me—never once defended any part of me. Where were you when I needed you most, huh? You were too damn self-servant to care how I must have been feeling, how lost I felt."

He didn't stand to hear this. Percy frowned, saying, "You will be leaving, one way or another."

"Is that right?" Jennifer resounded smartly. She stepped forward. "Or...what? You'll kill me? Make a dispenser out of me? Wait, that's too brave. Maybe you'll just wait for me to surrender and when I am not looking, you'll reach inside my chest and then pull out my fucking heart, won't you, Dad? You'll just take it out, wring the blood from it and—hey—why not make it messy? Just get your friends over here after you've done the deed. With their help, you can chop off my head, stick it on a pike...stick it high in the air, wave it like a flag. Then dance around the fucking fire like some crazy people, celebrating your marvelous victory. "

The crowd stared at her with revulsion.

Jennifer walked towards them, her stroll becoming increasingly light-footed, although her eyes were shining bright yellow against their torches.

"And all that sounds fascinating—even a little fun—but the problem is...do you all even have the heart to kill me?"

Percy curled his lip, saying, "You're despicable. And vile. Killing you will be easy."

"Is that right?" laughed Jennifer. "Can you really kill the person...you love most. Oh wait...that's not me anymore. Well, then I suppose it will be easy for you, Daddy. You have come this far, right? Why not dig into that darkness a little deeper. Go on..."

She smirked, as he gave his sword a little swinging as though to warm up.

"You want to kill the beast?" She whispered, smiling widely at him.

She opened her arms as an invitation.

"Go on," Jennifer challenged. "Do it. Either do it now—or stop bloody wasting my time. Granted I have plenty of it, but you're not worth any of my time."

Lydia begged sincerely, "Jennifer...please, sweetheart. Please leave."

"I can't," Jennifer returned.

"Oh—because of the Dark One?" asked Percy.

Jennifer frowned.

"You would stay here—sacrifice your life—for someone who is pathetic and cowardly as the father who left him," Percy stated, stepping towards her. "His own father wanted nothing to do with him. Why would you?"

Jennifer pointed at him, saying with the deadliest of softest tones: "You don't get to talk about him like that—not after the cowardice you displayed back in the forest."

Lydia bowed her head as Percy just piled on.

"His son is afraid of you—he can't stand seeing you the way you are. You are nothing to this village; you're nothing here, you were nothing before—and you'll be nothing wherever you go. You're better off living in that cave, you are better off dead."

"That's right," Jennifer goaded. "Keep talking like that. Keep it up—you're just making it easier for me to fucking kill you!"

A roar erupted from her lungs as she sprung the attack, landing on Percy's chest as he fell back in surprise. The crowd screamed, dispersing as Jennifer wrung his collar, shaking him like a rag doll. Lydia screamed in fear for her husband; the crowd snarled in response, advancing. Jennifer saw nothing when she looked into her father's eyes—no remorse, or fear, sadness...no love, or affection, or regret. There was absolutely nothing.

For a reason.

She'd killed him.

Jennifer stood up quickly, backing away. Lydia threw herself on the man's stomach, crying for his life, for her marriage, for her love. Jennifer stepped back a few paces when the mob's sad eyes became one of anger; the crowd became hostile, walking towards her.

"Shit..." Jennifer whispered.

"Run, Vampire." The crowd all said in different tones and volumes, "Run away."

Jennifer backed up when they withdrew the swords from the sheathes, holding up daggers as though to strike. She glared at them all. But she wasn't leaving empty handed. She sped through the crowd and despite Lydia's fighting, she picked up Percy's body, flinging it over her shoulder, and ran with it over her head, her strength and agility finally living up to the tale of the vampires. Jennifer bounded up a tree and in five seconds, she was gone—having taken her father's body with her.

Lydia fell to her knees, screaming agonizingly into the darkness of the clear sky. Her screams could not even express her sorrow and loss. The crowd around her gathered, arranging into a search party. They'd find her, they vowed. They would find her, and make her pay.

000

Jennifer sat in a tree, her legs dangling off a branch while she held her father in her arms. His eyes were open, blank little holes with blue balls inside of them. His mouth was hanging open from where he'd been scared the moment he had seen Jennifer leap on him—that might have been the last thing he saw. Being as elderly as he was, a heart attack would have sent him over the fine line. Jennifer also considered that he might have died when she'd tore her fingernails into his throat, taking out his esophagus, as well as his voice box.

She didn't give it another thought as her belly growled and she knew she would feel a helluva lot better after she had her feeding. Burying her teeth deep into his neck, Jennifer sucked hard. It would have been similar to drinking a creamy thickened liquid through a small straw. Some of the blood drizzled down his skin, darkening his blue shirt to a dark purple color. Her tongue lapped up the blood, taking in every drop so she couldn't miss any of it. She'd killed her father—but that didn't mean his death had to go unchecked.

He had helped her in the end—sustaining her with his blood, his life.

She drained the corpse completely, leaving a body that appeared skeletal with a gray blanket of skin wrapped around it. Jennifer pushed Percy's corpse off the branch and watched it fall, fall, fall, fall...and she heard the 'thud' when it finally hit the ground. Jennifer leaned her back against the tree, closing her eyes.

Her skin refreshed from the pale grayish glow to a fresh sun-kissed tan. Her eyes, which had been red with exhaustion, were lush and white, the blue becoming exceedingly bright and expressive. The weakness became strength, the headaches were gone, and Jennifer felt particularly desirable again—a feeling that always accompanied the other symptoms of a damn good diet. It was a shame, what she had done. But then again, if she hadn't struck—they would have.

Jennifer knew this.

With the hostile mob after her life again, she would not be returning home. Not when Baelfire's life was there to be chanced. She could live with the mistakes she made where the woman and her child were concerned. She could live with drinking blood from a dying old man, who gave no permission for his last seconds to be spent with a blood thirsty woman. And, while Jennifer didn't care to think she'd killed her father—Percy was also in his seventies, had raised his daughter the best he could (except towards the end, there) and had lived a great deal of his life already.

Not to mention he had tried to kill her...twice.

Jennifer shrugged. Yeah, she could deal with all of her mistakes.

But putting the child at risk, a boy whom she'd befriended...loved, even. And Baelfire, who had played 'war' with her when she had felt so very awkward around him...Baelfire, who introduced people to her as though she was a human being and not the monster. Jennifer couldn't endanger the child. Not Baelfire.

She hoped Rumplestiltskin would understand when he and Baelfire came home and saw her cellar deserted. She hoped they would understand that she had not intended to kill anyone in the village, even when the townspeople had asked for her death. Jennifer sat up, and searched inside the pocket of her now spotted dress where blood had dripped from her hungry lips and dotted the blue dress with the same dark purple crimson color as the dead Percy's clothes.

From her pocket, she took out the straw-spun doll. Jennifer smiled at it, seeing the black feather for hair, the blue pebbles for eyes. She held it close to heart. And like this, she fell asleep.

000

Jennifer heard something. It was a great deal down from where she was perched, but the footsteps were quick. He heard Rumplestiltskin's voice calling out, shouting something. Jennifer glanced around her, realizing she was still up in the tree; after a few shakes, she got the fallen leaves out of her hair and in several jumps down, she caught the main branch, dangling by her hands.

"Jennifer!" Rumplestiltskin called out. His voice sounded odd—desperate. Even, scared. "Jennifer! Jennifer!"

She stooped to see him wandering around alone. Where was his son? Where was Baelfire?

"Jennifer, please!" Rumplestiltskin shouted. He gazed up at the trees; he'd looked directly at her, but he seemed not to see her. "If you're here...please come out! Jennifer!"

She let go of the large thick branch and fell fifty feet. With a 'fomp!' she landed on her feet at the base of the tree trunk, rubbing her face where a branch had nicked her. Rumplestiltskin turned around quickly, and seeing her, he stumbled forward. He took her in a tight hug, nearly knocking her over with how quick he'd scrambled towards her as though if he had waited another second, she might have been taken from him. Never the mind the unkempt hair, the bloodied dress, or anything—he seemed to not see any of it as he held her close to him. Jennifer could feel the tightness of his embrace. He must have missed her a great deal!

"Oh my gods...Jennifer, I thought I lost you..." Rumplestiltskin whispered. His voice was strained, still worried.

"I'm sorry," Jennifer muttered. "I had to leave..."

"Why?" asked Rumplestiltskin.

"I killed my father, Rumple." Jennifer told him. She'd gotten the hang of being blunt. She'd definitely spent too much time around Baelfire.

Rumplestiltskin nodded, saying, "I know."

"I didn't mean to, it was an accide—wait..." Jennifer stopped suddenly. "You know?"

Rumplestiltskin nodded, but his worried expression remained.

"Jennifer, it's horrible." Rumplestiltskin uttered, shaking his head. "It's terrible..."

"This is not about my father's death, is it?" Jennifer asked softly.

Rumplestiltskin said—quite angrily all of a sudden, "Of course this isn't about your stupid father, Jennifer—this isn't about anything you've done! Baelfire...he's...Jennifer, it's what I have done—me, Jennifer—it's about what I have done...or rather, what I didn't do—don't you see?"

Jennifer stepped back, affronted by his tone. But concern replaced her offended expression immediately when he collapsed sorrowfully against the tree, burying his head into hands, shaking his head regretfully. Jennifer joined him, placing a hand on his thigh, the other on his face as she said softly, "Rumple, what are you talking about?"

Rumplestiltskin took her hand in his, a little tightly, from his face and said quietly, "I...I let him go..."

"That's good," Jennifer whispered gently. "He'll come back—you'll see."

"He can't come back," Rumplestiltskin snapped gruffly. "He won't—he can't."

Jennifer stared at him.

"We're not talking about letting someone go emotionally in a metaphorical sense, are we?" Jennifer figured out.

"Of course not," Rumplestiltskin replied unhappily. He took her face in his hands suddenly, startling her. Slowly, almost trying to believe it himself, he said, "I let him go, Jennifer. He tried bringing me...he tried to bring us to a land...to a land without magic and, Jennifer, I let him go. I let him go...i let him go."

He started sobbing uncontrollably, so much that his entire body shook. Jennifer was at a loss for words, having never seen him so distraught. She bit her lip, uncertain what to do. So, she did the only thing she could do. Jennifer pulled him to her, whispering, "Come here, sweetheart..." He laid his head on her bosom, wrapping his arms around her back while she cradled his head.

"It'll be fine—he will be fine." Jennifer whispered.

"He's gone..." Rumplestiltskin whispered. "To a land without magic." He started to cry again, and it was all Jennifer could do to keep from crying herself.

They sat like that for hours, it seemed. When Rumplestiltskin had more control of himself, he had sat up, continuing to remain beside her. In her hand, she held the doll he'd made for her, twirling it in her hand although her mind was somewhere else. Rumplestiltskin glanced at Jennifer.

"You still have that?" Rumplestiltskin asked hoarsely, gesturing to the doll.

"Of course," Jennifer replied. "You made it for me."

"Do you remember why?" Rumplestiltskin asked quietly.

She said, "Yes. This is the way you see me, you said."

"Not completely perfect," Rumplestiltskin said, "But perfect in my eyes."

"Yes," Jennifer uttered lightly. "I remember."

She looked at him.

"You said he had a magic bean..." Jennifer uttered quietly.

Rumplestiltskin looked at her as though vexed that she was bringing up Baelfire again. But it needed to be discussed at some point, he supposed—but he simply didn't want to get into it right now. However, Jennifer had done well regarding his disposition; how she had found him. Tension was built into the air, and seemed to get only thicker.

"He was sucked into a world without magic," Rumplestiltskin muttered.

"What is there in a land without magic?" asked Jennifer.

"Nothing," Rumplestiltskin answered. "And that's the point."

"What is?"

"Baelfire wanted me...us..." he said softly, "to go where there is no magic. So we would be like what we were before all of this happened." He indicated the dagger he wore on his right hip.

Jennifer said softly, "Why didn't you go with him?"

Rumplestiltskin looked at her painfully, and Jennifer simply waited for his answer...or rather, she didn't expect one. Giving him the freedom to confide in her, he supposed. A long time passed. Rumplestiltskin held out his hand and Jennifer gave him the doll she'd still been twirling in her hand. He looked at it for a long while.

"I was afraid," Rumplestiltskin admitted in a voice softer than a whisper. "I needed my power...I need it to not be afraid anymore."

Jennifer placed her hand over his, so he looked at her.

"You regret your decision, don't you, Rumples?" Jennifer asked softly.

Rumplestiltskin nodded. He would have told her not to call him that, but it seemed to stick. Jennifer seemed to only use that little pet name of hers for him when they were (most certainly) alone and after a long time hearing her, he just accepted it for what it was: a pet name for her loved one. Like 'Bae'.

"I regret not going with him," Rumplestiltskin said. "But I would have lost someone regardless of my decision, and therefore would have been left with regret—not matter the path I chose."

"What are you talking about?" asked Jennifer.

"Leaving this world," Rumplestiltskin uttered. "If I had gone to a Land Without Magic, or stayed here, I would have lost someone. If I had gone with Bae, I would have lost you. Staying here, I have lost my son."

Jennifer placed a hand on his cheek farthest from her, turning it so he looked at her—really looked at her. The expression she held in her eyes seemed to startle him for he questioned it wordlessly. When Jennifer spoke, she was sad, but her words remained true.

"I will never ask you to choose between your son and me." Jennifer told him.

"You'd have wanted me to leave?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"I would have wanted you to be happy—whatever your decision," Jennifer said quietly. "And right now, you're not happy and Baelfire is lost...we must find him."

"Ah, there's a 'we'." Rumplestiltskin pointed out to her. He raised his eyebrows when she stood to her feet, offering her hand. He took it.

"Indeed, there is a 'we'. I've not lived with you and Baelfire very long, but he was the first little boy to introduce me to people without hesitating. He taught me how to fight with a make-believe sword, and he liked my tea." Jennifer stated, brushing her dress off—though what little good it did, for it was still blotched with blood. "And, he introduced me to the help...speaking of which, where does that girl live?"

"I don't think that's relevant," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"Why is that now?"

"She's dead," Rumplestiltskin said. "She overheard Bae and me talking about the dagger."

"So you killed her?" asked Jennifer.

Rumplestiltskin nodded.

"Where'd you hide the body?" she asked.

Rumplestiltskin looked at her incredulously.

"I have to know," Jennifer returned pointedly. "I killed my father—the impulse was there, and my hunger did the rest. Not to say he was undeserving of the cost. He tried to kill me...again."

Rumplestiltskin began to voice his opinion, but Jennifer waved her hand dismissively.

"Body's gone," Jennifer said smoothly. "I didn't let it go to waste."

"So if you've already had your fill, why do you need Onora's body?"

"To stock up," Jennifer answered.

He stared at her.

"Baelfire is lost," Jennifer said. "If we're going to go looking for him, I don't want to be killing every one because I forget to eat. I'm going to make a back-up, so I can just drink when I am feeling peckish rather than waiting until the last damn minute when my impulses decide to kick in."

"You realize that I do not care if you kill people for your thirst—it's a necessity," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"I do realize it. But I'm more concerned about you." Jennifer said. "I don't want to give in to my impulses so foolishly—so quickly—when it concerns you the way I did with my father."

"You couldn't kill me even if you tried, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said—factually and trying to make her feel better.

Jennifer smiled, saying, "I still don't like the odds."

"Then off we go," Rumplestiltskin returned, bowing to her wishes. "I think I put her body over here..."

They started in the direction.

Rumplestiltskin took her wrist before she went on the move. She looked at him curiously.

"You realize that this mission will not be easy," Rumplestiltskin said. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to find Bae. I'll kill anyone who stands in my way, and you'll be none the wiser just to step back and let me do what I must do to get things done. Can you live with that?" He waited for her response.

"I can live with that, considering the fact that I want Baelfire returned to you as well," Jennifer said softly. "Returned to us."

"And here you thought you weren't mother material," Rumplestiltskin said, smiling softly at her.

"Oh shut up," Jennifer responded, but she smiled as well.

She held out her hand and he took it.

"Those village people are not going to be happy when they see me," Jennifer mumbled.

"Well, if it's any consolation, they're never happy to see you," Rumplestiltskin stated offhandedly, "Or me."

Jennifer stopped, looking at him.

"You know," she said curiously, "surprisingly enough, that does make me feel better."

Rumplestiltskin giggled, and they strolled together hand-in-hand.


	9. A Dead End

The villagers, of course, were not happy at all and formed an incredibly large mob, led by Lydia, to hunt down the vampire that had once again torn apart the village with her murderous deeds. In order to protect Jennifer, Rumplestiltskin offered her a new place to live—in a castle. She agreed that it would be better for all parties involved if they moved, and in doing so, they landed in their new home, the Dark Castle.

Rumplestiltskin had done well for himself, having spun yards and yards worth of gold, giving Jennifer a beautiful place to live—the castle had many, many rooms, too many to even use. Long tables stretched from one room to the next,; bookshelves and glass cases lined the walls of several rooms and asking what they were for, Rumplestiltskin told Jennifer that he was becoming something of a collector and needed a place to put his things. Knowing Jennifer, he guided her down to the dungeons; there were a few rooms, but one in particular was a place he fashioned into her own bedroom, although he suspected she would spend most of the night with him in his own for obvious reasons, wink, wink. In the cabinets, he revealed, were the bottles Jennifer had filled with Onora's blood to keep her satiated on those long trips.

He surprised her with a new wardrobe full of beautiful dresses and shoes. He had made sure that Jennifer would never go wanting. Jennifer thanked him graciously. When the surprises seemed to have stopped, Rumplestiltskin took her hand and led them up to a circular room, where his spinning wheel was located, a few potions and ingredients lined a table, and the bookshelf adjacent to this table was filled with volumes of magic spells, potions and enchantments. Jennifer knew this would be where he was most of the time, considering he spun for a hobby, spun for the gold, or when he was simply bored or needed to think...or forget.

Over the past four months they had been here, Jennifer had found her own hobby so she could 'forget'. She hunted—not necessarily for food. Over the past few months, she bottled enough blood to last her almost a life time but it seemed to be the only thing she could think of doing that would allow her to forget Baelfire's absence. Rumplestiltskin and Jennifer had never really lost their intimacy, but their loss for Baelfire seemed to have placed a bit of a gap between them that only grew, unchecked, over time.

Apparently, both of them were aware of this for when the new year had begun on the first of January, Jennifer had remained in her dungeon, bottling more blood, knowing Rumplestiltskin would prefer the isolation on his spinning wheel.

Her newest victim was a man with a goatee, stripped down to his bare ass; he was placed in restraints, and kept very much alive. Human blood was fresher when it was taken from the living rather than the pronounced dead. The man was crying by now—having been bitten and clawed, and taunted for hours. The blood from his bitten arms, chest, and legs dripped slowly onto the dungeon floor; Jennifer, clothed in a knee-length black dress which shown off her bare shoulders, and her strong, toned arms seemed to not hear him, or she did—and didn't care. The latter was most likely.

As she uncapped a new bottle, the man closed his eyes, whimpering, "Please, please, no more. No more. Just kill me..."

"You know, you keep saying that," Jennifer uttered softly. "But we both now it isn't going to happen—at least, not right now." An evil giggle escaped her lips, frightening the victim further.

"Why are you doing this?" He bravely asked.

"Because I have to," Jennifer replied nonchalantly.

"You don't—you don't have to do this...any of this," the man begged.

"On a contrary," Jennifer said, chuckling darkly.

"It's so evil...you're so evil."

"It's a necessary evil," Jennifer reasoned, smiling at him.

"Why me?" he questioned. He seemed to sober up from the pain for his tones became very demanding, defensive, all around rude. "You could have taken anyone from the forest—why me...why now..."

"Wrong place, wrong time?" offered Jennifer carelessly. She stood at the head of the table, and placed a hand on his forehead, stroking it harder than she should have, but the point was moot. She liked hearing him cry for help, to hope to die, and wanting her to rot forever in the Underworld. She shrugged when he vowed to kill her.

"Now hush, darling," Jennifer cooed, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "This next part is not going to hurt at all...shh, shh, shh..."

She heard foot falls coming down the stairs, and as Rumplestiltskin entered the room with a knock on the door, he saw her twist the victim's neck so fast the man was still in mid-sob as he died instantly. Rumplestiltskin raised his eyebrows, impressed, then the shock wore off as he watched Jennifer meander around the room, collecting more blood from the dead man before the insides starting rotting. Rumplestiltskin crossed his arms, curiously looking at the naked man on the table.

"Who was he?" asked Rumplestiltskin.

Jennifer shrugged, saying, "Beats me. I found him wandering around in the forest alone."

"Did anyone see you?" he asked.

"If they did, I took very little notice," Jennifer returned. She stopped walking around, looking at him pointedly: "Are you all right, Rumple?"

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her.

"I have a lead," Rumplestiltskin told her.

Jennifer placed her bottles on the table, walking over to him; her open-toed heels clicked the concrete as she did. A ray of hope shined in her eyes. They were closer to getting back to Baelfire.

"Really?" Jennifer said hopefully.

"A man has requested a visit with me," Rumplestiltskin said. "He's desperate to make a deal."

"You always have been able to recognize a desperate soul," Jennifer mewed.

"While I am gone," Rumplestiltskin said, "I want you to stay here."

"I can't come with you?"

Rumplestiltskin's face become stricken between wanting her to come with him but knowing if he lost her—if someone took his weakness—then he would surely turn to dust. He knew Jennifer could take care of herself; she was a strong woman (both emotionally and physically) but being the only person he had left in this world until they found a way to the next, he was more afraid than ever of losing her. The only way to keep her safe was keeping her in this castle...but then again, she proved to be pleasant company.

"Stay here..." Rumplestiltskin instructed gently. "Please?" He touched her face with one of his hands, lightly stroking her face with the back of it while the other placed her hand on his chest, trying to convey his deepest sense of protection for her. Jennifer continued to look at him as though he was being unreasonable but after a while, she folded.

"All right," Jennifer conceded. "I'll stay here."

"Good girl," Rumplestiltskin whispered. He tilted her chin and kissed her gently on the lips. Jennifer returned it, although it was a little harder and more passionate. She parted her lips, inviting him, and he obliged. It was the first time in four months since they kissed like this. And the butterflies floating in both of their stomachs reminded them.

"When you've finished your deal," Jennifer whispered as they kissed, "Come back to me."

"Always," Rumplestiltskin returned.

Jennifer pulled him closer to her; while he had changed her wardrobe, he had made equal improvements on his. For instance, the skin-tight leather pants—she liked them on him. The leather tunics he wore that just constricted around his body with the expectation of the design that shown a bit of his chest...Jennifer was always a little flustered when she saw him, forgetting about the leather pants until she saw him again. Who was she kidding—she never forgot.

The kissing between them became feverish, and hungry. However, Rumplestiltskin suddenly stopped, stepping back. Jennifer looked at him uncertainly but smiled when he was short of air, looking a little flustered himself.

"I have a deal to make," Rumplestiltskin reminded her.

Jennifer shrugged, saying, "I'll be here when you get back."

"Are you certain of that?" Rumplestiltskin questioned.

Jennifer moved closer to him, closing the distance between them. She brought her lips to his neck, kissing the skin with her tongue and then nibbled the flesh a little in the place just below his jaw. Rumplestiltskin smiled when to his ear, she uttered, "I'll be here when you get back, and I will be ready. You keep that in mind when you're making your deals, Dark One."

She pulled back, turning around with a sheepish grin when she saw him staring at her wantonly. She looked at the victim, dead on the table.

"Can you take out the trash for me when you leave?" Jennifer asked.

Rumplestiltskin said, "You don't need him?"

"He's fulfilled my purposes," Jennifer answered in a tone lacking any kind of sentimentality—not that Rumplestiltskin had expected it from her, "I have no use for him."

"Did he serve any other useful purpose—other than becoming a bottled snack?" Rumplestiltskin asked humorously.

"Somewhat," Jennifer responded. Wickedly, she said, "I had my little fun. I took something so precious..." she patted the dead man's head lovingly, "and made it beg for mercy." She shrugged, adding, "I gave it to him in the end—I think despite underneath all of this sadism and beauty, I'm going soft."

Rumplestiltskin chuckled when she winked at him.

"Torture looks good on you, dearie," Rumplestiltskin replied. "I wouldn't worry about it."

She smiled at him. He bowed to her, and she made a low curtsy to him. They chuckled at their own sense of humor and as he waved his hand, red smoke enveloped around him and the dead person on the table. Both disappeared from the dungeon, leaving a very happy Jennifer behind.

000

Four days passed since Rumplestiltskin's departure and Jennifer was starting to worry. Well, 'starting' was putting it mildly. The proper phrase to describe what she was doing now was 'rummaging through the books on all the bookshelves, looking for a way to find Rumplestiltskin if he didn't come back in the next five minutes.' As though he had heard her, Rumplestiltskin appeared in a cloud of red smoke, looking very pleased with himself, and yet, also disgruntled. Meanwhile, Jennifer was still piling through books, turning pages so quick and furiously that the paper would tear; when she didn't find what she was looking for, she would toss the book aside and begin searching through it just as vehemently as she did with the last.

"What are you doing?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

Jennifer suddenly looked up, and seeing him, she tackled him to the ground with a tight hug. Rumplestiltskin was surprised at such an intense reaction, but he smiled when she kissed him hard on the mouth—so hard it almost hurt.

And then, as he got to his feet, she slapped him equally hard.

Rumplestiltskin stared at her incredulously, but her reasons were revealed.

"Why didn't you come back!" Jennifer snapped, suddenly furious.

"I did come back," Rumplestiltskin told her.

Jennifer shot him a glare full of daggers and Rumplestiltskin held up his hands in a calm surrender, and that drew attention to the third hand, which Rumplestiltskin held by the detached wrist. The hand was clenched into a tight fist, apparently, whomever had it last was determined not to give whatever he (it appeared to be a man's hand) held in his grasp. Jennifer's fury slackened and transformed into shock as she pointed at this hand.

"What the fuck is—who does that belong to!" Jennifer questioned fervently.

Rumplestiltskin responded calmly, "This" he held up the hand "is precisely why I was gone longer than I had intended."

"You took the man's hand?" Jennifer questioned. "The one that was supposed to give you the magical bean?"

"No." Rumplestiltskin said, walking to what could be called 'his office', which had more book shelves and glass cases filled with treasured volumes and antiques that had been acquired over the past several weeks; Jennifer followed him as he placed the hand on the table like it was nothing...then again, she had tortured a man like it was simply business—and it was—so Jennifer's shock died down pretty easy. She pointed at the hand.

"So who does this belong to?"

"Doesn't matter," Rumplestiltskin said, waving his hand dismissively to the side as a gesture of his point. "And I think what you mean to say is 'who did this belong to'. It's no longer the captain's; it is mine."

"'Captain'?" repeated Jennifer. "Captain who?"

"Captain Jones," Rumplestiltskin replied.

"Captain who?"

"No, dearie—Jones." Rumplestiltskin clarified pointedly, although he chuckled at his own quirky sense of humor. Jennifer sat across from him as he held up the hand: "This hand holds the magical bean."

"Why didn't he just give it to you?" Jennifer asked.

"The situation became a little more complicated than that."

"So you cut off his hand?" asked Jennifer flatly.

Rumplestiltskin shrugged carelessly, saying, "He deserved it."

Jennifer sensed a grudge underneath his nonchalant exterior. She stood up and leaned over the desk, saying, "There's more to this than you're telling me, isn't there?"

"You don't need to know the rest," Rumplestiltskin reassured.

"The fact you're telling me I don't need to know the rest just makes me believe that I should know the rest." Jennifer stated. "What happened between you and this captain Jones?"

Rumplestiltskin stared at her, muttering, "You are just going to keep going at me until you get your answer, aren't you?"

"Well, you can 'poof' me somewhere else, I suppose," Jennifer offered the alternative, "But then you'll just have pissed me off. And I'll make my way back and the conversation would still continue."

Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes. Jennifer suddenly snatched the hand from his possession in less than seconds, her agility living up to the vampire standards; she kept the hand in the fist position, but pulled out the index finger so it appeared that she was, by the extension of the captain's detached hand, pointing at him. Rumplestiltskin suppressed a smile because this situation was also getting frustrating but couldn't help be amused by her dark sense of humor.

"You," Jennifer said, shaking the hand so the finger continued to point at him and shake disapprovingly, "are not telling me everything, Rumplestiltskin. And until you do, you're not getting this hand back."

"Jennifer," Rumplestiltskin said calmly, "There isn't anything to tell."

"Oh come on, Rumple. I have known you since we were kids—I know when you're hiding something and you are." Jennifer said. "Tell me what happened between this Captain Jones and yourself."

Rumplestiltskin realized she was more or less baiting him.

"You can tell me anything," Jennifer assured, using his words. "Trust me."

She threw him the hand, releasing her leverage so if Rumplestiltskin did tell her what happened, it would be by choice, not without. So finally, he sat down and she hopped on the desk, sitting in front of him. He told her about going to the pub, meeting a man named William Smee, who promised to steal a magic bean that would transport him between realms. That night, he had seen Captain Jones—a man who had stolen his wife, Milah, long ago. Jennifer stopped him.

"Wait, wait," she uttered. "You said he killed her."

"He kidnapped her," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"And I am guessing there's more to this story than I was led to believe?"

Rumplestiltskin replied sarcastically, "What do you think."

Jennifer gestured for him to continue.

Rumplestiltskin admitted (quietly as possible) that Captain Jones had offered the give Milah back if he would fight for her, even though Rumplestiltskin had informed the Captain that she had a son back home, and he needed his mother. Rumplestiltskin hadn't fought for her, and Captain Jones took her. To cover up his cowardice, Rumplestiltskin had told Baelfire his mother had died—for at the time, he could have only assumed the worst for he hadn't know Milah had volunteered to go.

Rumplestiltskin stared hard at the floor when he spoke of all this and finally, when he heard nothing from Jennifer (not even a sigh of disapproval) he looked up to see her face lacking any expression at all.

"So this Jones," Jennifer finally spoke after a long minute had passed, "took your wife."

Rumplestiltskin nodded.

"So you took his hand?"

"Like I said, Jennifer—the situation became a little more complicated than that."

Jennifer took his hands in hers and uttered lovingly, "Tell me what happened, Rumple. Please?"

So after much resolve, Rumplestiltskin did so. She had shown every ounce of love to him, never having been disappointed by his actions thus far. Rumplestiltskin told her that he had challenged Captain Jones to a duel, not for that night however, the next, instead. The next night came around and after several minutes of sword fighting had commenced, Rumplestiltskin had been close to ripping out the captain's heart to show him just how much it hurt when he had taken Milah from him. About that time, Milah had shown up—looking very much alive, rather than 'dead' as Captain Jones had her declared initially.

As he spoke, Jennifer had many expressions cross her face: curiosity, intrigue, a bit of jealousy, and all sorts of emotions.

"You can take out a human heart?" asked Jennifer softly, her eyes dilated with fascination.

Rumplestiltskin said proudly, "Yes, Pet. I can."

"You never cease to amaze me with all you can do with your power," Jennifer told him. She cleared her throat to try to slacken the grip he had on her lustful loins and said more firmly, "I mean...er...what happened next?"

Rumplestiltskin smirked at her, but continued on (albeit, sheepishly). He said Milah arrived to save her 'beloved' captain, and she had taken Mr. Smee below deck as a prisoner. Arriving on the third day to collect what had been promised to him in exchange for a peace treaty between Milah, Captain Jones, and Rumplestiltskin himself. Rumplestiltskin had been angry that Milah could simply up and leave him and Baelfire, and after a fierce argument between the two, Milah had declared she had never loved him. Prompting him to become vengeful—Rumplestiltskin had pulled out her heart, crushing it to dust; Captain Jones had tried to intervene, but the Dark One had won. He had cut off the captain's hand so he could remain alive, and feel what Rumplestiltskin felt on the day Milah had been taken from him.

Rumplestiltskin had then appeared in the cloud of red smoke in the room same as Jennifer, watching his vampire lover tear through his books like a mad woman.

Jennifer stared at Rumplestiltskin as he finished the tale, and he held up the hand in regards: "That is why I have another man's hand."

He expected her to get all riled and such over this incredible story of his, maybe even tell him that he was lying because the whole tale sounded too odd. But Jennifer, known for her lack of impulse control issues and intense emotions, seemed surprisingly calm as she crossed her arms, looking at him with no certain expression on her face. Rumplestiltskin sat back in his chair, waiting for the blow.

"So..." Jennifer uttered slowly. "You killed Milah."

Rumplestiltskin nodded.

"And you took the hand of the man she loved most," Jennifer said quietly.

Rumplestiltskin nodded.

"And..." she continued as though she was just absorbing all of this now, "You can pull hearts out of people without killing them."

Once more, Rumplestiltskin nodded, waiting still.

Jennifer smirked at him.

"You're a lot darker than I thought." Jennifer returned, hopping off the desk.

Rumplestiltskin was a bit shocked at her response—although, he should have given her more credit to begin with. Jennifer wasn't like most women...or humans for that matter. The vampire inside the woman seemed to purr as she suddenly sat on him, straddling his waist.

"Darker, dearie," Rumplestiltskin uttered. "Much darker."

He wanted to dwell in this wonderful moment of a frisky vampire wanting to ravage him for his dark soul but the matter of getting Baelfire back dawned on him and Jennifer—the hand held the bean, after all. It was time to get Bae back to them.

She got off him and waited with baited breath as Rumplestiltskin pried open the fingers of the hand. But their expressions changed from happy anticipation to disappointment and dread.

Seeing the empty hand, Jennifer and Rumplestiltskin glared at one another. Rumplestiltskin became infuriated, knocking everything off the desk angrily, shouting, "They tricked me."

Jennifer was unusually still. She told Rumplestiltskin quietly, "I'll be back."

"Where are you going?" asked Rumplestiltskin, disgruntled.

"To find another victim," Jennifer said. "I want to hurt something precious."

Rumplestiltskin watched after her. He didn't even think about stopping her.


	10. Disconnected

Chapter Ten: Disconnected

In the years that followed, Rumplestiltskin and Jennifer had a bit of a routine. Rumplestiltskin would find a lead, and he would follow it only to come to a dead end. Jennifer would anticipate his arrival every time he would leave, and when he returned, he seemed to carry with him bad news. It was a cascade of disappointment. The loss of Baelfire only deepened between them, and Jennifer's outlet—torturing people just for the fun of it—was the only way she could forget about her own misery, by causing someone else pain.

Her affliction as a vampire, and bearer of the Dark One's affections, made her infamous; although not a lot of people knew her actual name, just as not a lot of people knew Rumplestiltskin was the name of the Dark One. Jennifer's reputation as a vampire grew, as people rumored her being so vicious and sadistic that making a deal with the Dark One was not as bad as being unable to fulfill the bargain; not only would the debt to the Dark One grow, Jennifer proved to be a sufficient attack dog.

She usually resided in the Dark Castle, always preferring her seclusion, preferring to spend her time thinking of ways to torture someone. Rumplestiltskin would ponder whether he liked this darker side of her more or less, mostly for the reason she would go a little over the top. Sometimes, the customers would be so scared of Jennifer, they'd make never ever seeing her part of the deal. Rumplestiltskin could only smile, because he hardly had to worry for her safety—everyone did that for him.

The gap between Rumplestiltskin and Jennifer seemed to grow wider when Rumplestiltskin would be gone days, then weeks, and one point a month at a time.

Rumplestiltskin offered Jennifer to come with him. The price on his part was easily met when the desperate didn't want to be anywhere near her; and they would fulfill their end of the bargain with little to no hesitation. The alternative was being killed by Rumplestiltskin, who always told them what would happen if they didn't live up to their bargain, or roll the dice with Jennifer, who was incredibly unpredictable.. It was a lose-lose situation. Deals made with Rumplestiltskin made him notorious for being the cunning wizard he was, and his girlfriend only made the deal even more dangerous.

Either way the deal went, Rumplestiltskin was ensured that he and Jennifer would be together. The only fault, being that Jennifer still couldn't venture out into the sunlight. So any deal that was made in the day, she would remain in the castle—after some decades, this rumor caught on so anyone who needed to find Rumplestiltskin would find him in the daylight; while the idea of making a deal with Rumplestiltskin still kept the customers on their wary toes, it seemed easier to do (rumored by those who had met Jennifer) when the Vampire wasn't there.

Rumplestiltskin was secretly finding a way to remedy this, knowing Jennifer hadn't seen a single sunrise in nearly 74 years, while still searching for a way to find his son. He sat in his study, reading. Jennifer ventured inside. She wore a long flowing red dress that contrasted beautifully with her long black locks—despite the decades that passed, she still appeared 18 years old, just as Rumplestiltskin continued to maintain his middle-aged appearance. Immortality was a gift, sometimes.

Rumplestiltskin glanced up to see Jennifer looking at him.

"I've been looking for you," Jennifer said quietly.

"I have been in here this entire time," Rumplestiltskin said smoothly. He closed the book as Jennifer came nearer, not wanting her to see what he was working on.

"Rumple...Can we talk?"

Rumplestiltskin waved his hand so a chair moved from across the room and sat across the table; Jennifer sat down. He leaned forward, curious as to what she had to say.

"What is it?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"I'm unhappy." Jennifer told him.

Rumplestiltskin looked a bit taken aback, and when he began to speak, Jennifer interrupted him.

Jennifer told him softly, "I know we've been disconnected for a time. The search for Baelfire has been taxing—for the both of us. Communication between us hasn't been the best..."

Rumplestiltskin sat back, interested.

"Looking for Bae hasn't been easy," Rumplestiltskin reassured gently. "I told you it wouldn't be."

"This isn't about Bae," Jennifer returned.

"It's not?" said Rumplestiltskin curiously.

"It's about us," Jennifer told him.

"Are you leaving?"

"Of course not." Jennifer returned.

Rumplestiltskin let out a huge sigh of relief. Jennifer smirked at him.

"I want us to have a day together." Jennifer told him. She moved the book he'd been reading to the side, and sat on the table in its place. "I want you and me to be alone, together, all afternoon. No interruptions, or deals. No torturing these petty people that call themselves 'thieves'." She rolled her eyes saying, "I can't tell you how many times I have caught people roaming around outside and they call themselves 'con artists'."

"You make it hard for people to intrude, Jennifer," Rumplestiltskin playfully chastised. "How is anyone supposed to get by you?"

"I imagine if they had any brains, one of them would have been armed with a wooden stake by now." Jennifer told him ironically.

"That wouldn't work anyway," Rumplestiltskin said. "You're much too powerful."

"Flattery is beneath you, Love—but thank you," Jennifer replied, giggling.

He hadn't heard that sound in a long time. Rumplestiltskin stood to his feet so he stood between her legs. She looked at him with a familiar expression, the deepest love she held for him, those blue orbs swimming in their pool of adoration. Rumplestiltskin placed his hands along the edges of her jaw; she beamed at him.

"Tonight," Jennifer told him. "Just us."

"As you wish," Rumplestiltskin granted to her.

They kissed gently.

Jennifer could feel him withdraw, however, and she looked at him expectantly.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I have one more thing to do before tonight," Rumplestiltskin assured her.

"Another deal?" she asked curiously.

"I think the most important yet."

"Who is he?" Jennifer asked expectantly.

"'She'." Rumplestiltskin clarified.

Rumplestiltskin could have sworn a look of jealousy crossed her delicate features. She had gotten better at controlling her impulsive nature, but every now and then, the truth of her being would sweep up before she could settle down. This was one of them as she said bitingly, "'She'? You're making a deal with a woman?"

"She doesn't know it yet," Rumplestiltskin replied.

He began walking down the stairs to living room, and Jennifer followed.

"What's her name?" Jennifer asked.

"If I didn't know better, dear, I'd say you were a little jealous." Rumplestiltskin said, stopping at the entrance to the castle.

"A little?" Jennifer repeated.

Rumplestiltskin turned to her: "Fine. Extremely jealous."

"Try 'territorial'," Jennifer admitted. Then she continued her interrogation: "What is her name?"

"I don't know."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously," Rumplestiltskin returned, smiling at her. "I saw her in a vision."

"Seeing other women in your head isn't exactly what I wanted to hear, Rumple," Jennifer uttered unhappily.

Rumplestiltskin chuckled at her resentful tone. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. Disgruntled, Jennifer tried to resist his lofty temptations but she folded under the touch of his hand behind her neck, pulling her closer to him. They kissed briefly.

"She needs help," Rumplestiltskin told her. "A king has given her an ultimatum to spin straw into gold or she will be executed the next day, dearie. Naturally, she's desperate. She'll make a deal with me."

"And you're just going to swoop in and become her knight in shining armor," Jennifer responded coldly, gesticulating dramatically.

"That's ridiculous, Jennifer." Rumplestiltskin stated. Giggling, he added, "I look terrible in armor."

Jennifer frowned at him.

"Are you certain you don't know this woman?" she questioned.

"I don't know her."

"Good."

"But I will."

Jennifer frowned deeply, saying, "Why do you have to meet her tonight."

"Her life means something to me, Jennifer. To us. Her first-born daughter will be the one to cast the curse. She'll send us to a new land, and there, we will find our son." Rumplestiltskin explained gently.

Hearing his full-out explanation and hearing him refer to Baelfire as their son, not just his, Jennifer calmed down immensely. As he began to leave, Jennifer took his hand quickly. He looked at her.

"Promise me you won't fall in love with her," Jennifer whispered.

Rumplestiltskin began to speak, but she cut him off.

"If you do," Jennifer uttered quickly. "Don't come back."

Rumplestiltskin looked at her curiously.

To answer his nonverbal question, Jennifer responded painstakingly, "I know things haven't been as they used to between us. But I have always only ever wanted you to have your true happiness, Rumplestiltskin. Even if it is without me. If you come back to me, I know I will never have lost you. If you don't...I'll be heart broken but I will understand."

She kissed his cheek, smiling at him.

Rumplestiltskin said nothing. Admittedly, he was shocked by her words. She didn't look back as she walked into the dungeons knowing Rumplestiltskin was gone by then. She knew Rumplestiltskin and she had been disconnected for a while and part of it was her fault; she would close herself off to him, knowing he'd be gone for weeks. The separation sometimes seemed unbearable. Years before, Jennifer had become accustomed to isolation until she and Rumplestiltskin had become inseparable. What had felt like comfort when she was alone, had now become pain and loneliness.

Jennifer suspected just as much that this woman was, indeed, the key to finding Baelfire. Yet, a part of her that was still insecure about her vampirism, that part that made her feel unworthy of a true happiness made Jennifer's stomach turn unpleasantly. It only seemed likely that this would happen—that Rumplestiltskin would find love in another a woman, a more human woman. And while she had suggested that tonight they reconnect in a way they hadn't done so in a while, it sounded too coincidental that Rumplestiltskin suddenly had to meet with this woman.

It was painful to think that after all these years, he may still be able to choose another over her. If she had pushed Rumplestiltskin away to the arms of another woman, she wanted it to have happened for the best. People she loved seemed to leave—she wanted Rumplestiltskin to have her blessing if he did as well.

After a month had passed, Rumplestiltskin still had not come home.

Jennifer simply sat at the Dark One's desk and despite her painful feelings accompanied by sadness and abandonment, Jennifer continued to look for ways of getting back to Baelfire. Jennifer had given Rumplestiltskin a way out of their relationship, but that hadn't stopped her heart from aching so terribly. Even after these many decades, Jennifer was always surprised to learn that her heart could still be broken—even it had stopped beating long ago.


	11. Apologies

"I'm telling you! There aren't any in this land!"

Jennifer heard the scream again. It wouldn't have been the first time she'd heard the words. She had been told many times that there were no magical beans left to use, but the last time she had been told that, a man by name of Mr. Smee had managed to find one. It had been taken by a pirate, and Jennifer very much doubted the pirate was still around. Odds are, he had used the bean to find whatever his heart most desired. But it led Jennifer to the idea that more beans—surely—still were in existence.

On her hunt, she had found a man who swore he could give her what she most desperately desired. It was a means to no end—Jennifer knew—for what he promised was probably a night of drunken intercourse and a rose the next day. However, seeing how desperate he was for companionship, Jennifer had taken to him, however drunk he had proven to be. 'Falling' for his terrible pick-up lines, sexual puns, and his talk about how was the bravest man in all of Nottingham (wherever the fuck that was), she was happy to continue this charade with him in her home; hearing she lived in a castle, the man had stupidly followed her, thinking her a princess with an epic dowry or a king who was willing her daughter to marry immediately...or some crock like that.

Jennifer exposed her true colors to him when they arrived at the Dark Castle. Now, here he was, shackled up in a dungeon while Jennifer watched him plea as she leaned with her back against the dungeon wall. His clothes had been slowly stripped from his body after she had knocked him out with a frying pan, which had proven quite effective, for the sake of her stomach, she kept his pants on.

She wore her usual torture attire—that black shoulder-less dress and her open-toed high heels, knowing that the only thing worse for someone to be tortured was being tortured and getting some kind of sick arousal from it. Watching the man breathe heavily as he glared at her, Jennifer crossed her arms, looking incredibly bored.

"The last time I was told there were no beans in this land, another one came into existence," Jennifer said. "You said you'd give me what I wanted."

"And you said," the man growled, "You would give me what I wanted."

"You couldn't handle me in bed," Jennifer promised. "Trust me—you're better off where you are."

The man must have had a death wish or liked her rough exterior for he simply smirked at her. He called himself the 'Sheriff of Nottingham' but some sheriff he was proving to be. He could barely make a sentence without slurring. She saw his challenging expression, so she stepped towards him; his eyes looked her up and down.

"You must be either really drunk or really stupid to want me, still," Jennifer told him lightly. "I've done everything to you except make you my slave." She gestured to the deep wounds along his shoulder from a knife she'd used on him when he had called her a 'bitch', and then a few she had done herself with her dagger-like fingernails.

"Strong-willed women are attractive to me." the Sheriff stated, shrugging.

"Or maybe," Jennifer mused, "You just want me to take off your restraints and let you make a run for it?"

He looked at a loss.

Jennifer smirked: "Nailed it, didn't I?"

"You can't keep me here for no reason—i didn't do anything to you."

"Well, you're not doing anything for me either," she responded, twirling her hand.

"If you let me go," he whispered, "I can do something for you."

"You're not becoming my sex slave," Jennifer uttered disgustedly as though she had read his mind.

"Then what do you want from me?"

"I want to know what you know."

The Sheriff said exhaustively, "And what is that."

Jennifer rolled her eyes, sighing tiredly, "What have we been talking about this entire time!"

"I don't know where there are any beans—do I look like I would know?"

"You're the Sheriff," Jennifer reasoned. "You would know something about people trotting to and fro with a bean that will let you go where you want to go, wouldn't you?"

"What if I did know something about magical beans?" asked the Sheriff irritably. "You would not let me go even after I told you. So what does it matter what you to do me? My life is in shambles anyway. The love of my life was stolen from me and the man that took her from me has made me a laughingstock of Nottingham."

Jennifer returned, "Well, that sounds very sad and your life does sound miserable. But also incredibly boring. If I didn't think any better about this, I should really let you go since your life sounds more painful than what I have ever done to you." She shrugged and stepped towards him.

He stared at her incredulously when she wrapped her hand around his restraints and cracked the lock in two with her fingers and stepped back when he fell down, face planting the concrete dungeon floor. Jennifer watched him carefully as he panted, getting to his feet. He looked at her for the longest time.

"Why are you letting me go?" he asked quietly.

"I don't really know," Jennifer said.

"You like me, don't you," chuckled the Sheriff.

"I'm starting to regret my decision," Jennifer warned.

"You're the Dark One's girlfriend..." Sheriff of Nottingham pointed out. "You're not exactly known for this kind of thing. How do I know you won't turn me into a slug or something when I start running."

"I'm a vampire, Sheriff. Not a witch. I don't use magic," Jennifer stated factually.

"I think you're kinda sweet when you wanna be," the Sheriff pointed out, wincing as he managed to put on his clothes.

Jennifer glared at him.

"Get out of the castle." Jennifer told him.

"Are you sure you don't want a sex slave? I can uh..." he strolled towards her. "I can show you my own bit of dark magic if you wanna try it out. I'd like to try you on and see..."

Jennifer glared daggers at him. He held his hands up in the air, and backed off.

"Okay, so, that's a 'no'."

"Damn right that's a 'no'. Get lost, Sheriff." Jennifer told him.

He nodded, bowing quickly to her and then he ran up the stairs. Just to see what he would do, Jennifer followed him. A good thing she did because he was standing at one of the book cases, holding something in his hand that clearly didn't belong to him. Jennifer saw what he held, and she frowned. The Sheriff was looking at a straw-spun doll with black feathers for the hair and two blue pebbles for the eyes. He seemed a bit off-set by it, and when he heard Jennifer's heels click the wooden planks of the castle floor, he suddenly turned.

"I tell you to run," Jennifer said quietly. "And you stop and touch things that do not belong to you."

"I'm going now...I'm going...Just uh..." The Sheriff rambled.

He walked up to her though.

This man certainly must have had a death wish for he seemed completely entranced by her. Jennifer suspected it was this 'power of seduction' stuff that she wielded uncontrollably, and she was sickened by the fact that this Sheriff's mind was conjuring up all these different things he would love to do to her. Jennifer was thinking of something she wouldn't mind doing to him—but her intentions were a great deal darker and without it, he would hardly be called a 'man'.

"What are you doing?" Jennifer asked when he stepped towards her.

"You're so beautiful. I can't help it." The Sheriff mumbled, getting closer.

"That's a love story I have yet to hear," Jennifer stated sarcastically. "Woman tortures man. Man falls for woman. Hardly befitting for a child's story."

"What I have in mind is hardly befitting for any child to hear...or see." The Sheriff purred, smiling at her. "I know we got off on the wrong foot..."

"Both feet, more like," Jennifer remarked callously.

"But I know we can still do something to soften the wedge between us...or maybe harden it a little more," the Sheriff drawled, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"I can't believe you're single," Jennifer stated cynically.

"Ooh, that biting sarcasm," the Sheriff whispered.

He had continued to move towards her, pinning Jennifer against a wall.

"You're playing hard to get," the Sheriff muttered; he placed his hand on her neck, stroking the small gray marks of a long ago vampire bite. His eyes were transfixed on her body, roaming, trying to savor every part of her imaginable.

"There's nothing to get—trust me," Jennifer returned, pushing him away. "I'm about to put you back in the dungeons and make you my bitch if you don't get out of here right quick."

"Sassy..." the Sheriff drawled.

Jennifer kicked him down below and he fell over with a grunt, holding his balls. She looked down at him, smirking all the while.

"I was waiting for that to happen."

Jennifer startled with surprise, turning around to see Rumplestiltskin appearing in his red smoke. He was dressed in his skin-tight leather tunic and pants, and while he had sounded generally pleased, he did look a little unhappy. After having not seen him for a couple months, having thought him to be completely gone from her life, Jennifer had trouble getting over her surprise, staring at him as though he were a hologram; at first, she simply looked right through him.

The Sheriff groaned, getting to his feet.

Kicking him down on the floor, Jennifer hissed, "Stay down, you drunk."

"But—" The sheriff began; Jennifer kicked him hard in the face and he was out like a light.

"What are you doing here?" Jennifer asked crassly.

Rumplestiltskin walked over to her, observing the man on the floor. Then he turned to Jennifer, saying, "I was wrong."

Jennifer was shocked a second time.

"Wrong?" she repeated. "You were wrong...about what?"

"You know what," Rumplestiltskin replied. His eyes shifted from her awkwardly.

"I want to hear you say it," Jennifer told him.

"Say what."

"You know what," said Jennifer, crossing her arms. When the Sheriff stirred, she kicked him out cold again, turning to Rumplestiltskin as though she hadn't been interrupted. "You left for two months, Rumple. I told you if you found your true happiness to never come back again. So why are you here?"

Rumplestiltskin sighed deeply. God, he hated apologizing but the way Jennifer was staring at him, he knew that the only way to rectify what had happened was to say what she wanted him to say. The truth. The uncomfortable truth.

"Apparently," Rumplestiltskin said slowly, "Cora didn't love me back...as I originally thought."

"Cora." Jennifer uttered. "That's not a very nice name. Sounds like something breaking."

"Funnily enough, that's what I observed as well," Rumplestiltskin pointed out.

Jennifer uncrossed her arms and walked towards him until she was just a pace away.

"So you did fall in love with her," Jennifer stated quietly.

"I did." Rumplestiltskin responded.

"But now?"

Rumplestiltskin closed what little distance was left betwixt them, taking her hands in his, although she seemed to pull back just slightly.

"You are my true happiness, Jennifer." He told her softly. "Cora and I had a common affiliation but that's all that remains. It turns out that she only wanted my power...nothing more. she lied to me. She never truly loved me—."

Jennifer could see that he was being completely honest with her. She saw his heart break, and her expression softened, knowing he probably faced the trepidation of being rejected by the only person that yet to manipulate his heart in any way—Milah and Cora had hurt him. Now she had to pick up the pieces. Relieved to simply have him in her arms again, she wrapped them around him, and he tied the embrace with his.

"I'm sorry she broke your heart," Jennifer said sympathetically.

"Just as well...I hadn't the heart to break," Rumplestiltskin responded.

"Did you take it out?" asked Jennifer, shocked.

"No—not physically," Rumplestiltskin said, chuckling at her literal thinking. "It turns out that I never had it in order to give."

"You're trying to tell me something, aren't you?" Jennifer asked, searching his eyes.

Rumplestiltskin knew she was waiting for him to say it directly, so he took a nice long breath in and said softly, "You are my heart, Jennifer. You always have been...always will be."

Jennifer beamed.

"That's all I needed to hear." She said sweetly.

He kissed her first, and she returned it. The Sheriff seemed to stir again, groaning and mumbling about the damn sharp heels of her shoes. Jennifer simply kicked her heel back and he fell back to his unconscious state. Rumplestiltskin chortled with amusement but they didn't break the kiss. Jennifer wrapped her arms around his neck, and his went around her waist.

When Rumplestiltskin looked at Jennifer, he could see truly the love in her eyes that he still had not seen with anyone else. Suddenly, slapped the crap out of him and he stared at her, taken aback.

"Don't you ever fucking leave me again," Jennifer ordered furiously. "When I tell you to choose your happiness, I want you to choose me."

Rumplestiltskin smirked at her, rubbing his jaw, saying, "Ah, so you were jealous."

He kissed her cheek, then turned to see the Sheriff coming back to. Jennifer gave him a look.

"Speaking of which," Rumplestiltskin said coolly. "Who's this?"

"My boyfriend," Jennifer lied.

Rumplestiltskin opened his mouth to retort like a jealous, angry ex-husband, but Jennifer put a hand over his mouth.

"I'm kidding," Jennifer told him as she laughed darkly. "But look who's jealous now."

"I'm not a jealous type," Rumplestiltskin returned quickly.

"Possessive, more like." Jennifer concluded.

"I'd call it 'territorial'. I don't like other people touching what belongs to me."

"And I don't like women touching what belongs to me," Jennifer responded emphatically.

Rumplestiltskin smirked at her, satisfied with her answer. He looked at the man and Jennifer explained his whole existence in this castle.

"He's the Sheriff of Nottingham," Jennifer told Rumplestiltskin.

"'Nottingham'...So why is here?"

"I found him in the forest," Jennifer answered. "He said he could 'give me whatever I desired' so I brought him here."

"What exactly did you bring him for?" Rumplestiltskin asked suspiciously.

"Nothing like that. No one could handle me like you can. Besides," Jennifer remarked disdainfully (while Rumplestiltskin smiled sheepishly) "Being the Sheriff, I thought maybe he knew the whereabouts of some certain magical beans that could enable us to transport between the realms. He'd come by bandits all the time—thieves who acquire a lot of things they don't understand."

Rumplestiltskin sighed, "Well then, dearie, your lead is as good as dead. There are no more magical beans—at least, not in this land." He stepped over the Sheriff. "Even if there were, I doubt he would know anything."

He looked around the room, realizing they weren't in the dungeons.

"Why is he in this room? Is this your torture room now? If so, I have to rearrange a few things," Rumplestiltskin told her, gesticulating appropriately.

"I let him go." Jennifer remarked.

"You did what?"

"I let him go," she repeated.

"Why?"

"His entire life is so sad, I thought it would be better for him to live than die," Jennifer uttered. She rolled her eyes saying cynically, "He doesn't listen very well though. I let him go and he stood around looking at things, touching what isn't his."

"If what I have seen him do with you is any indication of that, I can believe it," Rumplestiltskin told her.

Jennifer's eyes twinkled when Rumplestiltskin waved his hand, turning the Sheriff into a snail. With little hesitation, he stomped on it. Jennifer smiled at him, saying, "It's nice to have you back, Rumples."


	12. A Sun's Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, so to put the facts out there for those who want the timeline. As of the last chapter, Jennifer and Rumplestiltskin are pretty much the same age. Up to this chapter, I've estimated Jennifer to be about 92 years old. And, having been turned at 18, she's been a vampire nearly 74 years. A Sidenote: For those who still don't get it: RUMBELLE is non-existent in this fanfiction. I did this by design, people. Okay. Anger gone. Enjoy the story :-)

Jennifer walked down the halls of the Dark Castle, a little bit of a pep in her step. The castle echoed with the clicking of her high heels on her stroll. She was a bit excited for tonight. Rumplestiltskin had promised her a night together as she had previously suggested, and now it was finally happening. He had made himself scarce, oddly enough, but Jennifer figured it was just a simple ruse to make her enjoy the surprise a little more. He hadn't given her any details—but she had worked out the better part for herself. She heard a soft sound suddenly, and she turned towards the direction, following it. She recognized it as an instrument.

While she thought it had only been a few feet away, her vampire senses always underestimated the distances, making it appear a lot closer than what she had originally thought. She walked through five corridors and up the stairs before getting presumably closer to the sound, becoming louder as she approached the double doors that led to his bedroom; chuckling, she opened the doors, but saw no one.

However, it did solve the riddle of the mysterious music.

A record player was moving, the music coming from that. She walked over to where it stood, glancing down at the album for a moment before slowly turning to see Rumplestiltskin standing at the doors, having appeared there through his magic; she knew it had to be the latter for she hadn't heard any footsteps. Curiously, Jennifer watched him wordlessly stroll towards her, his hands behind his back with a smile on his face as though he could barely contain his excitement.

"I thought you'd hear the music," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"I did hear it," Jennifer returned, looking at it. "Violins?"

"Your hearing is as sharp as ever," he complimented. He revealed his hands, holding a rose to her.

"Oh!" Jennifer gasped. She took it, smiling at him. "Thank you."

"Just so you know," Rumplestiltskin said with a giggle, "That is not the surprise."

"It's beautiful either way," Jennifer replied, still grateful for the flower.

"Come with me," Rumplestiltskin told her, holding out his hand, palm facing up.

She knew that he was planning a surprise for her but now Jennifer wondered just what his surprise would be. He was acting so secretive, so mysterious, eluding to the idea that she would be so enthralled with it—he could hardly contain his anticipation. Curious, Jennifer took his hand. In a cloud of smoke, they were gone.

000

And they appeared on the rooftop of the highest tower in the castle. The sudden height difference gave Jennifer's heart a mad flutter, and she quickly grabbed onto Rumplestiltskin, who giggled. Her nails had dug into the leather tunic, and he wouldn't be at all surprised if she had drawn blood. When the surprise wore off, Jennifer cleared her throat, pretending she hadn't been scared at all. Jennifer still held the flower close to her heart.

"Why are we up here?" asked Jennifer, looking around, but she was impressed with the scenery it offered.

She could see other castles miles and miles away. Maybe it was the height that gave her such a clear view, or maybe it was her vampire sight—she couldn't really tell the difference, nor did she care. The lush forests, the beautiful blue oceans, and the birds that flew just under the low rising moon took her breath away. Rumplestiltskin moved behind Jennifer, placing his arms around her, his hands folding just underneath her stomach.

"Tell me, Jennifer," Rumplestiltskin whispered. "What is your heart's desire?"

Jennifer tilted her head to the side so her eyes met his, then she looked back at the scene before her. And she whispered, "You are, Rumple. You're my heart's desire."

"Good answer, but not the one I am looking for," Rumplestiltskin mused. "You don't have to flatter me, Doll, to get what you want tonight. That is already happening."

"What other answer do you want?" asked Jennifer quietly, giggling.

"Other than myself, what does your heart twuly want?" he paraphrased the question.

Jennifer began to turn but he didn't move his arms for her to do so, instead, he said, "A-ta-ta-ta-ta—keep looking."

"It's almost sunrise," Jennifer reminded.

"And what is wrong with that?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

She turned in his arms, staring at him incredulously.

"Seriously, Rumple? I will burn."

"Why?" Rumplestiltskin asked, feigning puzzlement.

"You know why," Jennifer stated.

Why the hell was he now playing ignorant. Obviously, this had to something with the surprise. So she played his game and when Rumplestiltskin saw that she had caught on, he simply grinned mischievously at her. So Jennifer reluctantly turned back in his arms so her back rested against his chest; his exposed skin against the backless dress—his warm flesh against her cold back—was almost distracting...almost. Jennifer felt his lips on the nape of her neck; she could feel him kissing her shoulder.

Jennifer felt her legs begin to weaken, turning to jell-o.

"I can't be exposed to sunlight..." Jennifer uttered quietly—not out of shame, but distraction; his kisses left a fire on her skin even after his lips had long left the area of exposed flesh. As she spoke, Jennifer became further distracted when his hands lowered from their initial placement on her stomach, to her thighs.

"Because of what I am," Jennifer mumbled.

"And what are you, my dear?" Rumplestiltskin whispered, his voice deeper than usual.

She hitched a breath when his hands took handfuls of her dress, pulling it up high enough so he could move them underneath; feeling the naked flesh of her thighs, the muscles twitched in them when his fingertips grazed the innermost flesh.

"A vampire..." Jennifer managed—she didn't notice that her voice shook or that her breathing had quickened; the rose, long forgotten, had dropped to the surface on which they stood, as her arms moved behind her and Rumplestiltskin's head, loosely linked around his neck so as to keep herself from completely falling for his seduction.

"You can never see the day," Rumplestiltskin said lightly. "Nor feel the sunlight warm your skin, or see the soft orange light peeking through the curtains..." his lips moved just underneath her right earlobe; Jennifer became weak, her head tilting to the left, allowing him access to the jugular of her neck. Rumplestiltskin kissed her where the bite marks remained still as gray as ever, and the touch of his tongue against her skin made his little vampire shiver pleasurably.

Jennifer's lips parted slightly when she felt the hand under her dress move between her legs, his fingers bypassing the bright red lace of her underwear, touching her through the silky fabric, teasing her. Jennifer moaned softly, the sound escaping from her lips; Rumplestiltskin smiled at her reaction.

"You have never thought it possible," Rumplestiltskin uttered calmly (although his voice was laced with lust), "to ever see the sun again...so you placed this desire somewhere else...deep into the back of your mind where no one will ever be able to reach it, or see it...not even you."

Jennifer felt his lips against her ear, and he whispered: "Until now."

The words caught her.

He moved his hands from her as Jennifer slowly turned to look at him, although her arms remained linked around his neck. As expected, Rumplestiltskin saw her staring at him, confused.

"I'm a vampire, Rumple. I can't ever see the sun."

"You underestimate what I'm willing to do just to see you smile, Jennifer." Rumplestiltskin told her pointedly. He placed his hands along her hips, and pulled her closer to him.

"Even the Dark One has limits," Jennifer reminded.

"However, small, those limits are." Rumplestiltskin returned smartly.

Jennifer's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to understand how he would possibly be able to allow a vampire to walk in the sun. If people thought she was dangerous now—phew, look out world. Jennifer watched him hold his hand out, palm face up, and with a gesture, smoke clouded over the center, and from the cloud was a simple ring. The band itself was black metal, and throughout it ran a thin line of glowing, sparkling red. In the center was the same color red, a ruby or maybe something similar to a ruby. Jennifer gave it a look, then turned to Rumplestiltskin curiously.

"This," Rumplestiltskin said gently, "is the surprise."

"What is it?"

"Magic," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"That's worrisome." Jennifer pointed out.

"How come?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"'Magic comes with a price'," Jennifer uttered, quoting him.

"Ah—finally, someone listens to me." Rumplestiltskin stated, chuckling.

"What price is there to pay?" Jennifer asked.

Rumplestiltskin looked at her but didn't answer right away; he took her left hand in his right, and placed the ring on the finger closest to her pinky. The simple gesture made Jennifer look at Rumplestiltskin with a new expression.

"You are my heart," Rumplestiltskin told her. "You always have been, and—if you'll have me—always will be."

Jennifer grinned widely, saying, "If that's a marriage proposal, then my answer is 'yes'." She held up the ring curiously, saying, "But you haven't answered my question."

"The price of this ring is not yours to pay, Jennifer."

She looked worried, but he put her concerns to rest.

Rumplestiltskin told her: "I could have found something as simple as any normal wedding ring, but for you—I go out of my way to find something worth my time and efforts, and yours as well. And between us, plenty of time has passed." He pointed to the red jewel. This gem you wear on your finger is called a Sun's Kiss. Combined with the power of a Dark One and pixie dust, this ring places a force field around you. You will not be harmed by the sun...no matter how long you are exposed to it."

Jennifer said quietly, "I can walk in..."

"The sun, yes," Rumplestiltskin finished for her.

"And I..."

"You won't die. You won't even tan." Rumplestiltskin said softly. "I wouldn't worry about that part though; your skin has a light pallor glow to which I have grown accustomed."

"Did you..."

"No." Rumplestiltskin answered quickly.

"You don't even know what I'm going to say," Jennifer told him.

"Oh, yes I do."

"What, did you see it in one of your visions?" Jennifer teased.

Rumplestiltskin chuckled, saying, "I know what you're about to ask. You were going to ask if I hurt myself in order to wield some of my power into an object that has surpassed every rule in ancient vampire legends."

Jennifer's mouth was open in a bit of shock. Rumplestiltskin leaned forward, saying, "Just as have gotten to know me a great deal, Jennifer, I have gotten to know you too. Your concern for my safety—however remote—betrays you constantly."

Jennifer smirked at him, saying, "Well, did you?"

"No." Rumplestiltskin answered. "But the ring wasn't going to work without a little effort on my part."

"Why?"

"Well, as you know, vampires are dark creatures. Pixie dust is strong, but it doesn't tend to favor the 'creatures of the night'. I just did a little of this and a little of that in order to give it that ol' extra kick." Rumplestiltskin explained.

Jennifer beamed at him. She looked so happy, she looked like she was about to cry. Rumplestiltskin grinned, winking at her, saying, "I said you would like the surprise, now, didn't I?"

"I love it, Rumple," Jennifer said happily.

They kissed, and Rumplestiltskin stopped her. She looked at him curiously, and he pointed behind her. She turned to see the sun rising up from the horizon, turning the sky a bit of gold and pink along the blue sky. Jennifer giggled, squinting a little; she hadn't seen the sun in such a long time, it took her breath away.

"Stay up here as long as you like," Rumplestiltskin said to her. He kissed her cheek and walked down the stairs that led out below.

A tear rolled down her face. Jennifer looked down at her hand, the red gem glowing against the partnered black metal. It had been the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her, and on that day, Jennifer not only saw the sun for its beauty for the first time in 74 years, but now she had also seen a side of Rumplestiltskin that no one else would ever be able to witness. And she would keep that her own little secret to heart. For he was hers.

He always had been.

And always will be.


	13. Do Not Interfere

Chapter Thirteen: Do Not Interfere

Years passed, and those that followed were more or less simple. Jennifer and Rumplestiltskin lived together in the Dark Castle, becoming accustomed to the marriage life. Rumor spread from only-gods-know-where about the marriage between the Dark One and his vampire bride. As Rumplestiltskin became widely known as the sorcerer who good do just about everything when it came to magic and, being a collector of all things magical and refined, could offer anything to a desperate soul who craved their heart's desires but just as he could offer anything, he could also ask for anything...sometimes, it meant the only thing a person had. And Rumplestiltskin's name was only whispered to those who desperately wished for his help as a last resort.

Rumplestiltskin always warned those who did deals with him, "Magic comes with a price". Sometimes, that price was steeper than they could ever pay in their lifetime or the next. Rumplestiltskin had a penchant for deals, and he couldn't resist making them.

Jennifer's reputation served her well. She was the Dark One's wife—and if that didn't make a man nervous, nothing would. Her ability to walk in the daylight, despite her legendary vampirism, seemed to not only amaze the darkest souls, but almost terrify them. For if the sun could no longer protect them, what would? Jennifer didn't conspire with anyone else, except her husband. But her association with the Dark One would earn her many enemies.  
When Cora and Henry Sr. gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, they named her Regina. And she grew up to be a beautiful young woman, for save the fact that Cora was pushing every thing that Cora wanted down her daughter's throat. Rumplestiltskin said it was only a matter of time before Regina would be requesting his presence to change her future.

The Dark One and his beautiful vampire bride occupied the Dark Castle's uppermost floor where their bedroom was located. Rumplestiltskin had awakened Jennifer from her sleep as the sun rose to its highest peak—her day-to-day routine had become that of a mortal's sleep cycle as she now slept at night and lived by day thanks to her husband who had given her the second thing she most desperately desired—to be able to see the sun like a mortal, and yet keep her vampire senses and power.

Jennifer, dressed in a dark red satin night slip, slid out of the bed, the hem of the slip rising as she stood to her feet;Rumplestiltskin looked at her; she noticed his wandering eyes, and she smirked, pretending she 'didn't notice'. Rumplestiltskin asked her how she slept.

"Sleeping at night is a lot different than I remember," Jennifer uttered, brushing her hands like a natural comb through her messy raven-black locks.

"I'm sure it is," Rumplestiltskin replied, knowing she'd spent many years hunting during that time and perusing the daylight for her rest. He watched her still, as she pulled the night slip over her head and walked across the room in all of her wonderfully toned naked glory.

"How do you plan on getting Regina to enact this curse?" Jennifer asked, facing away from him as she opened the wardrobe and sifted through the many dresses.

Rumplestiltskin strolled over to her, and pulled out the one he'd always felt partial to as he said, "I don't plan on anything, dearie—here." He handed the dress to her and she glanced it curiously, looking at him.

"I like this one." Rumplestiltskin told her.

He held it out to her still. The dress was elegant as it was dark. A crimson flow of material that fell off the shoulders slightly, with see-through black mesh for sleeves, pulling skin-tight at her arms and only making her muscles more defined. The hem dropped just above her knees, showing off her well-toned calves; all the hunting and running she did had paid off the past several decades. The dress had to be laced in the back, starting from the waist, up to her neck.

He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and Jennifer giggled, taking the dress from him.

She pulled it over her head, sliding her hands through the sleeves so graciously that Rumplestiltskin had a thought she was teasing him, and—he was certain of it. Jennifer shook her hips to pull the dress down, and her twisting movements in collateral with her sheer naked form made Rumplestiltskin clear his throat to brush off the sexual feelings building inside of him. Jennifer pulled her hair up and over the collar, and looked at him imploringly.

"Oh, yes..." Rumplestiltskin purred, smiling as she turned from him so he could lace up the back of the dress. "You know, the world may think what they want. But in my opinion, you will always be the fairest of the land."

Jennifer turned around after he had finished, and he placed a hand just beneath her chin, grinning broadly at her. She returned it, a small little hue of pink tinging her cheeks as they always did when he made her feel extraordinarily special. They had come from a world that had made them feel useless, helpless, unloved, and unwanted. And now, when Rumplestiltskin looked at his bride and all the beauty that was encompassed inside her cerulean eyes, he knew that without her, he would feel like that all over again. And with her by his side, he knew he'd never have to feel what he had been made to feel all those years ago.

"And to answer your question," Rumplestiltskin stated, "I do have a plan, but it will take time for it to happen. Actually, by now, it won't take too much time at all."

"So, by that, I assume everything is going according to plan?"

"Correct," Rumplestiltskin returned.

"When will Regina cast it?"

"Whenever she's ready."

"Are you going to teach her how?" asked Jennifer.

"That depends."

"On?"

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her curiosity, saying, "Regina isn't aware of just how powerful she can be. She doesn't even know how to wield her own magical power."

"Cora is her mother," Jennifer stated, walking to the bay window in the room, as she looked out to see the sun beaming brightly. She'd seen it every morning for the past few decades, but knowing it was a gift to her made it more precious. Jennifer added pointedly, "Cora is a powerful witch—you taught her yourself. Surely, she'd be teaching her own daughter? At least, giving a few tips?"

"My legend precedes me," Rumplestiltskin returned, chuckling, "but that's not to say Regina will want to use magic."

"Why not?"

"Because of what happened with her Twue love." Rumplestiltskin uttered darkly, walking up behind Jennifer. He folded his arms around her stomach, his head balanced on the right hook of her shoulder. "She was in love with the Stable Boy. Unfortunately, for them, they were discovered."

"What did she do to him?" asked Jennifer.

"Ripped his heart out, of course," Rumplestiltskin answered. "And crushed it right in front of her."

Jennifer turned in his arms and Rumplestiltskin looked curiously at her. Jennifer always had the admiration for the darkness, even basked in it time to time. She'd tortured people just for the fun of it, just to hear them scream and beg for mercy and answered their cries happily with a slice to their throat or burying her hand deep into their guts before they passed out in shock, then in death. Rumplestiltskin had expected Jennifer to simply respond as though she would not have been bothered by it, but instead, she looked absolutely horrified—an expression he hadn't seen in...well, ever.

"Her mother killed her true love?" Jennifer asked quietly.

"It's tragic," Rumplestiltskin told her. "But it happens."

"'It happens'?" Jennifer repeated incredulously. "Oh my—Rumple, I know the Darkness can be overwhelming but going after a child's happiness?"

Rumplestiltskin watched Jennifer step away from him, turning from him as she absorbed this information. She was getting angry—that much, he could see. Jennifer suddenly turned on her heel—as though likely on an impulse (as she always behaved)-and walked out of the room. Rumplestiltskin looked up at the ceiling, rolling his eyes and went after her.

"Jennifer, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to kill that woman!" Jennifer returned viciously.

Rumplestiltskin realized he couldn't catch up to this fast-paced vampire, so he appeared in front of her instead inside a cloud of smoke; he grabbed her arm, and she naturally swung around, staring at him incredulously.

"You can't interfere," Rumplestiltskin warned. "Everything that is happening right now is happening for a reason."

"But her daughter, Rumple. That was her daughter's happiness."

"I told you," Rumplestiltskin responded firmly. "It is tragic. But it is necessary."

"Necessary?" Jennifer exclaimed. "Are you fucking kidding me, Rumple—Cora destroyed something her daughter wanted, and loved. How can you just accept that—accepting that even if it was necessary—which I personally doubt it is!"

Rumplestiltskin watched Jennifer begin her brisk walk again, those heels of hers just stabbing the floor as she made her way to the entrance of the Dark Castle with the intention of leaving and doing only-gods-know-what to Regina's mother. Sighing deeply, and wishing for the fifth time he had a less, strong-willed wife, Rumplestiltskin grabbed her wrist, holding her in place this time, no matter how wild she tried to jerk her arm away. Jennifer glared at him.

"I understand you're upset..." Rumplestiltskin began.

"Upset? Upset—no, Rumplestiltskin. I'm pissed off. I get the fact that we need Regina to cast the Dark Curse, but I cannot understand why we have to allow Cora to destroy the happiness of a young woman. Do you realize that she will probably never ever find another True Love? That would be like someone taking you away from me, Rumple. I can't have that happen!"

"It's already happened!" Rumplestiltskin told her—in a louder voice than what might have been necessary, but Jennifer was a hard woman to get through and volume seemed to work with her; if that didn't work, then magic was the only other way—he hoped it wouldn't get to that.

"So what if it has!" Jennifer growled. "Cora wants to rip a young boy's heart out? A boy with whom her daughter fell in love, then I'll do the same fucking thing to her, and see how she likes it."

"Jennifer..."

"Don't stop me, Rumple—I'm going to kill her."

"Jennifer!"

"WHAT!" Jennifer screamed, her eyes flickering to the bright yellow. He hadn't seen those in a while.

Rumplestiltskin never let go of her wrist, and she was glaring daggers at him. The fun part about being the Dark One and being married to a vampire was that these arguments could literally go on forever and while they could battle it out—with or without magic—the argument would still continue forever since both the husband and wife were capable of self-healing powers and had an incredible amount of stamina. Jennifer simply realized that Rumplestiltskin wasn't letting her go this time.

Her eyes flickered back to their cerulean blue and Rumplestiltskin was relieved that she had stopped fighting him, at least physically.

"Your anger is not for Cora," Rumplestiltskin told her.

"Of course it is," Jennifer snapped.

"It's not."

"It is."

"I highly doubt it."

"You've been wrong before," Jennifer retorted.

"It may be directed at her, but it isn't the source," Rumplestiltskin returned knowingly. He touched her face in an attempt to get her to focus. "You are angry with me."

"No, I'm not," Jennifer uttered, but her voice had lost its illustrious vigor. "Why would I be?"

"You're angry at me for having fallen in love with her all those years ago." Rumplestiltskin pointed out. "Your jealousy betrays you, dearie. This news has just given you a moralistic reason to go after her."

"It actually gives me two reasons, now that you reminded me."

"You don't need reminding," Rumplestiltskin stated, gesturing to her. "You're a jealous woman, Jennifer; you've never forgotten."

"I'm going after her because she hurt her child."

"You're going after her because you want revenge for when she distracted me from the person I love most," Rumplestiltskin told her factually. "And this news about Regina has given you a reason to fuel your rage. Face it, dearie. Your jealousy matches mine every step of the way."

Jennifer crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him.

"You make this about yourself all you want, Rumplestiltskin. I am going after that bitch." She stepped forward, and he stopped her again. Rumplestiltskin looked at her coolly, remarking in his own nonverbal way that she was way off base, but that didn't stop her from staring daggers at him.

Jennifer demanded coldly, "Do you still love her?"

"Oh my gods, not this again—Jennifer, how many times are we going to have this conversation?" Rumplestiltskin asked tiredly.

"I didn't bring this up, Rumple. You did." Jennifer reminded. "I was going to kill Cora because of what you just told me about Regina, but now I think I may do it just to spite her for taking you away from me. No one should destroy someone's happiness. And just as I am about to go, you are doing everything you can to stop me so I can only assume you love her, you want to protect her from me."

"First of all—my heart is yours," Rumplestiltskin stated as a fact, "And Cora doesn't need protection."

"Then why are you stopping me!" Jennifer snarled.

"I'm protecting you from her, more importantly from yourself." Rumplestiltskin responded hotly. "You said so yourself—I trained her. She's a powerful witch, that one, and if you string along your emotions—as you normally do— you're going to meet a really nasty end, sweetheart."

"Aw, how fucking touching, but that's not going to stop me from maiming her," Jennifer growled.

She tried to go around him, but Rumplestiltskin sighed sharply, and reluctantly snapped his fingers; and her feet became immobilized to the ground, a current of electric purple wrapping around each leg. Ignoring her vehement snarls, Rumplestiltskin resolved that this was the only way he could reason with his wife.

He said firmly, "Cora is an important person—important for what the future holds," Rumplestiltskin explained with a forced calm, having to overlook his wife's jealousy in order to talk some sense into her.

"She's not important to me. Obviously, she must be to you."

"She's important to the both of us," Rumplestiltskin retorted. Irritably, he added, "Have I ever told you how hard you are to talk to when you're angry?"

"Cora is causing people pain—causing her daughter pain. She has to be stopped."

"Pain is strength—Regina will see that when the time comes."

"She doesn't have to lose people..." Jennifer began.

"It's necessary, Jennifer." Rumplestiltskin argued. "The Dark Curse is not an easy spell to cast. Someone has to be a monster in order to cast it, dearie, and the only way for that to happen is to make it. Evil isn't born; it is made. And as terrible and horrific as it may be, it's what has to happen in order for us to get what we want."

Jennifer maintained her hard gaze, and Rumplestiltskin refused to back down.

"Let's say I let you go," Rumplestiltskin said with slighted irritation. "You manage to get past all the guards—hell, let's say you get through them all, and you confront Cora, who I taught personally. She would kill you in an instant, Jennifer."

"I don't care..."

"You don't, do you?" Rumplestiltskin replied. "You do realize you would never be with me again? Your true happiness?"

Jennifer stared at him.

"And you would never get to see Bae again either."

She seemed to simmer down a little, her eyes captivated in a soft sadness. The flame of anger still flickered but not as strongly as she thought of Baelfire.

Rumplestiltskin said, "This Curse is going to lead us to Bae. That is the goal, Jennifer—to see our son again. I told you—from the start—that finding him would not be easy."

"But you never said anything about—"

"I am prepared to do whatever it takes, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said, and he gesticulated towards her viciously, "that has never changed, Jennifer. You agreed to it."

And the fire rose once more.

Jennifer snarled, "I didn't agree to this—to ruining people's lives...I mean, Regina deserves to be happy! She's just a child, Rumple! She's just a child!"

"But she's not your child!" Rumplestiltskin snapped.

Jennifer suddenly lost what flame she had; and seeing this, Rumple waved his hand and the purple electricity keeping her immobilized freed her; she stepped back as though he had thrown a book at her. Rumplestiltskin exhaled deeply, stepping back as well. They had been only an inch from one another, yelling at the other's face, pointing fingers madly. Rumplestiltskin noticed that when the veil of anger was pulled from her face that a sadness loomed underneath. Before him was what he imagined would be the literal being of a shattered heart.

Jennifer looked as though she was about to cry. Rumplestiltskin sighed again, closing the distance between them, and wrapped his arms around her. Her face buried into his chest; he could feel cold droplets on his skin, her tears.

"I'm sorry..." Jennifer uttered softly.

Rumplestiltskin combed his hands gently through her hair, to comfort her as best as he could for words were not his first strength. There was a softness to her touch as she wrapped her arms around him, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she cried softly. Rumplestiltskin had an idea as to why she'd broken.

Even though they hardly mentioned him—for good reason—Baelfire had opened a place in Jennifer's heart. A mother's love had developed in that amount of time when Baelfire taught her how to play 'war', and he'd introduced her to his 'friends' (few, he had) and made her more welcome, despite the wide berth the children gave her. What mother's love Baelfire had awakened was now a mother's loss. In Jennifer's mind, a little Regina had been replaced by a little Baelfire who had his happiness ripped from him by someone so vile and cruel. Such a vision would lead any woman to hold such hatred against Cora...and considering her personal vendetta against her for having stolen Rumplestiltskin's heart, albeit only temporary, had given Jennifer all the determination in the world to kill her.

Rumplestiltskin heard her cries subside, and placed his hand just underneath her chin, lifting it so her head tilted back.

"I find myself forgetting at times that you bear the emotions of a human as well as a vampire inside your heart," Rumplestiltskin said. "Not to mention your usual lack of impulse control."

"Maybe that's why you're here for me." Jennifer whispered. "To keep me from doing something the both of us would regret?"

"Not only that," Rumplestiltskin told her. "I'm the only one that can survive your rage."

Jennifer smiled.

"The situation remains," Rumplestiltskin stated. "You can't kill someone that is vital to Regina's transformation. She has to experience events in her life—events leading up to casting the Dark Curse. Then, when she has done it, we will be able to find Bae in this new land." He placed a lock of her hair behind her ear affectionately, adding, "And we can be a family again."

Jennifer beamed.

"Until then," Rumplestiltskin resumed. "You will have to find someone else to satisfy your pound of flesh."

Jennifer uttered unhappily, "I still don't like it. The thought of a mother killing her daughter's True Love. That's evil."

"It's a necessary evil," Rumplestiltskin returned. "Just like you, my dear."

"I'm not evil," Jennifer responded defensively.

"Well, you're not good either."

Jennifer shrugged modestly, saying, "I'm a flawed character."

"Very flawed." Rumplestiltskin stated, smiling as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "But, you're perfect this way, Jennifer— you are an illuminating, pale, blood thirsty, and sadistic vampire..." Rumplestiltskin placed his arms around her waist "And yet, an emotionally-driven, stubborn, determined woman who can feel things so deeply and so strongly, she's willing to take on one of my own legends for a child she has never met...just for the sake of principle ."

"Is that how you see me?" asked Jennifer, smirking at him.

Rumplestiltskin softly kissed her bottom lip, holding the kiss until she kissed him back furtively. Smiling at her, he said, "That is exactly how I see you. You are flawed in every way possible, but designed perfectly to be a wife—to the Dark One, and to Rumplestiltskin."

"I'm not flawed in every way," Jennifer reminded. "Some of that isn't even my fault. A vampire turned me. And my parents practically drove me into your arms, you know."

"And are you complaining?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"Of course not. It led me to one of my happy endings—you." Jennifer said, her eyes twinkling.

"And how do you think Regina will become who we need her to be?" Rumplestiltskin returned.

"Oh...so Regina may find her happy ending too as I have found mine?" Jennifer inquired.

Rumplestiltskin said, "May be. But if you mess things up, Fate may have to change everything and then, so will we. And at that point, neither of us may get what we want." He grinned smugly, saying, "Now you see why you shouldn't interfere?"

Jennifer's lips parted in the shape of an 'O'.

"Have I ever told you how incredibly brilliant you are?" Jennifer breathed—her eyes mixed with that familiar dark fascination.

Rumplestiltskin smiled sheepishly, saying, "Many times." He winked, saying, "But I wouldn't mind hearing it again."

Jennifer giggled, and they kissed once more.


	14. Dungeons

000

Rumplestiltskin had been correct where 'interference' had been concerned. In the days that followed after Regina's True Love had been murdered, she was to marry this King Leopold; unhappy, Regina had summoned Rumplestiltskin. Naturally, before leaving, Rumplestiltskin did as he always have done before he left. He searched for Jennifer before his departure and when he didn't find her in the bedroom for a small cat nap, he smiled, disappearing from the bedroom in a cloud of his usual red smoke, and appearing under the castle in the dungeons.

Over the past month (between the time she had nearly gone to kill Cora and the thirty days that passed), Jennifer had found a peculiar hobby. She had taken to keeping prisoners for an extended period of time to use their circulatory system as a bit of a pump for production instead of draining them completely and tossing the body. While Jennifer's strategy had worked for her,, this only meant a fate worse than death for the prisoners. Rumplestiltskin even found it barbaric but he had told her to find her pound of flesh somewhere else. This just happened to be it.

When he arrived in the dungeon, he only had to follow the agonizing screams of a man. (She chose men over women, he noticed, but every now and then, she'd have a beautiful woman entrapped in metal shackles, although even then she treated the women a lot better than the male benefactors). Hearing one in particular cry out "Please, just kill me!" Rumplestiltskin hummed, strolling towards the screaming, which died down after he heard a loud punch.

He stopped in front of one of the dungeon rooms, and tapped the door with two knuckles, twice.

"Come!" He heard her call out to him.

He opened the door to see a white male shackled by his wrists to the wall, his body limped over in exhaustion. Jagged wounds made by a knife (or a dagger-like fingernail of a vampire) ran all down his body, blood dripping slowly onto the concrete floor beneath him. His eyes were barely open, both black and blue from one punch too many. His mouth was cut up, and Rumplestiltskin glanced to see Jennifer take off her gloves and exposing the reason for the male's unpleasant bruising.

She had worn a number of rings on all fingers on both hands, including her wedding ring. Jennifer gave the prisoner one more beat down—one hard kick into his stomach—and the prisoner coughed, and could only wait for the pain to subside. Most likely, it remained for the cracking sound Rumplestiltskin heard were the ribs breaking. Rumplestiltskin watched Jennifer step away, and he was able to admire the full view.

Jennifer wore black, skin-tight leather pants with black boots that laced up to her knees. Her top was a dark crimson red, laced up the front and pulled in tight around the middle so her bosom appeared a lot more tempting to the touch than normal. Her hair was pulled back in a long pony tail with a braid following throughout, a single blood diamond barrette kept several stubborn strands from falling into her face but a few had escaped and made her look like a beautiful, yet distressed, dominatrix. Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat to accentuate his presence, although he was more than certain Jennifer had heard him coming.

Her hearing had only become more acute over the years, as did her sense of smell and sight. Rumplestiltskin had only started noticing a few months ago, but he was certain—when he considered all those decades they had been together—that Jennifer's vampirism might have been feeding off his power as the Dark One. It wouldn't have surprised him, nor would it be insulting. For he also considered just how vibrant and energetic she made him feel by simply being around her.

A vampire bride and the Dark One feeding off one another, and yet, only further empowering. It sounded like a vicious love cycle between two parasitic hosts, but none the less, it seemed to work perfectly.

"Good evening, Darling," Jennifer greeted, smiling brightly—a curious contrast to the devil smile that had twisted her lips not a second ago when she cracked the few ribs of the male prisoner, who now seemed passed out from pain...or maybe he was dead.

Rumplestiltskin stopped her from kissing him and she looked at him curiously.

"You've got a little something there..." Rumplestiltskin told her, touching his own chin.

Jennifer wiped her chin with the back of her hand, glancing down and seeing blood.

"Yours or his?" asked Rumplestiltskin.

"Mine," Jennifer returned. "The bastard packs a little more punch that I estimated."

"How long has he been here?" asked Rumplestiltskin, looking past her at the man, who was now stirring from what might have been a paradise until he woke up and realized where he was.

"Five days." Jennifer informed.

"A lot longer than most," Rumplestiltskin noted..

Jennifer nodded, glancing back at the prisoner before turning back to him.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked.

Rumplestiltskin followed her into the room completely as she paced back to put on her thin black gloves, which hid the rings. Rumplestiltskin smiled when she hopped onto the table, which he noticed was aligned with an assortment of torture weapons from nine-tail whips, hot pokers and daggers to something as simple as salt. Rumplestiltskin picked up a hot poker curiously, before setting it aside as he stood between Jennifer's legs.

"Regina apparently has her mother's book," Rumplestiltskin told Jennifer lightly. "I keep hearing my name being called so—as it were," he made his little movements, as always gesticulating dramatically with his hands, "duty calls."

Rumplestiltskin caressed the fine bones along the bottom of her jaw with both hands, placing a kiss lightly on her cheek; she turned her head so his mouth pushed, instead, against hers. That usual part that was always and would be forever sexually magnetized to her signaled strongly for him to remain with his bride, to stay with her and finish what Jennifer was apparently trying to start. How could he have forgotten—Jennifer's sadistic streak had always brought out the sexiest (however, most twisted) side of her nature, a frisky little demon that always got what she wanted with him. The physical attraction they had between one another was almost more powerful than he could stand.

Jennifer's hands snaked along his ribs, her fingertips placing just enough pressure to bade his body a little longer before he had to leave. As they moved down to the waist line of his leather pants, Jennifer engaged him in a stronger and deeper kiss, licking his upper lip, inviting him, challenging him. When he reciprocated just as passionately, her lips opened for his invitation, and he deepened the kiss, initiating a battle of tongues behind her lips. Jennifer moaned, the sound seemed to vibrate his entire being—gods, how could she have this much control over him, even after all these years!

"Jennifer..." Rumplestiltskin mumbled.

"Hmm..." She returned softly; her left hand kept a tight hold on his tunic, pulling him to her and her right slid between his legs, touching him and she smirked when she felt how hard he was. She pulled him even closer; he almost lost his balance, catching himself with his palms against the table on either side of her legs.

"Jennifer."

"Duty calls, indeed," Jennifer purred. "No one demands your attention but me, Dark One."

Rumplestiltskin sighed with both pleasure and frustration as she felt her hand stroke him. Rumplestiltskin made a gesture with his hand face down and slid it across the air and Jennifer noticed that her prisoner that had been passed out and hanging by his shackles was gone.

"Where the fuck did you put him?" Jennifer questioned, slightly irate.

"In another room," Rumplestiltskin growled, although his 'irate' tone was now out of sexual frustration. And the reason for his 'poofing' of the prisoner out of the dungeon became quite clear as the torture devices suddenly were magically thrown off the table in a sweeping gesture. Jennifer looked at the fallen objects, impressed, then gasped as she, too, was shoved magically although now she was on her back in the middle of the table, looking up at the ceiling.

She glanced straight ahead, satisfied, to see Rumplestiltskin undressing rather quickly. In turn, Jennifer pulled off her pants in equal speed and eagerness. She got as far as pulling off her knickers and about to unlace the bust when a half-clothed Rumplestiltskin grabbed her legs and yanked her towards him; she laughed a little out of shock. Jennifer smirked when she saw just how disheveled he appeared; tunic half-undone, his pants down far enough where the true nature of his urgency was exposed.

"Ooh," Jennifer teased, "I thought duty called."

"Jennifer, you're lucky I have somewhere to be." Rumplestiltskin uttered, his voice was husky; his tone, almost dangerous.

"Oh, and why is that?" Jennifer breathed, although her teasing could only last for so long; she was becoming just as impatient and eager as he appeared to be.

He pulled her body to him, separating her legs roughly with his hands.

"Because what I want to do to you would feel like torture," Rumplestiltskin replied.

Jennifer bit her lower lip. His hand felt her between her legs, the warmth of her sex radiating heat, giving all the signals that she wanted him just as desperately. Rumplestiltskin leaned his body over hers and to prove a point that he was in control, he took her wrists and roughly pinned them above her head.

From her mouth, Jennifer exhaled the purr made from a large predatory animal, and the sound drove Rumplestiltskin mad. Kissing her hard, he thrusted himself inside her—all the way down to the hilt; she cried out in only pleasure, not a single ounce of pain as her body readily and eagerly swallowed him without a single twitch of resistance. At that moment, the muscles between her legs slightly seized, and her sex contracted as he moved out of her body only to thrust into her again just as deep, just as rough.

This wouldn't take long, they both knew. As desperate and eager as they were for their peak, for the release, this quickie would earn the name. In minutes, Jennifer was calling his name, her eyes flickering from their doey blue to the bright yellow that always shown when she was feeling intense emotions and as intense as her body was reacting to his, Rumplestiltskin had only expected it. As her lips parted in ecstacy and painful pleasure, Rumplestiltskin could see her fangs; he smirked at the way she was responding to him. So sensitive, her body became—every touch, every motion, every little twist or thrust he placed upon her resounded so beautifully.

She was a vocal one, never holding back, and yet, never giving up as she held out for that orgasm that would would bring her on the brink of screaming for release, screaming the Dark One's name, and pleading for him to bring her to the edge, so she could descend into the powerful orgasm that would release her from the clenching held tightly in her abdomen and the throbbing in her clit. Until he brought her over the peak, the vampire was relentless.

Her nails drew blood down his arms and even along the back of his neck; her hips pushed against him; Jennifer lifted a leg onto his shoulder, her flexibility never ceasing to amaze him. He no longer stifled his vocal release of moans, to which Jennifer became more drawn and aroused.

Rumplestiltskin knew it would only take a few more thrusts—hard, rough, holding-nothing-back thrusts—to push her where she wanted to be and giving her that leeway, Jennifer's palms smacked onto the hard surface of the table, her fingernails digging, leaving deep, jagged dents in the wood. Jennifer's eyes rolled in the back of her head, her mouth opening unawares as she was lost in the swirling vortex of a powerful release. As she was enjoying hers, Rumplestiltskin took relief from his, burrowing deep inside of Jennifer.

As the electrical throbbing finally subsided allowing both to breathe normally—although quickly—Jennifer felt a small orgasm when he pulled out of her, watching him stand on his feet, although she pretended not to see him stumble a little; proudly, he leaned against the table, panting. Jennifer's body still shook from the power of her release, and she carefully slid off the table, leaning against the table as well.

She watched him dress, smoothing out his tunic, and smirked when he sighed with relief.

"I've told you many times, Rumples," Jennifer mused, finally managing to catch her breath: "Violence makes me frisky. You come down to the dungeons—you should know what to expect."

Rumplestiltskin smiled, and bowed formally, saying, "Noted, Milady."

Jennifer bowed her head to him, smirking saying, "I hope you don't get into too much trouble for being late in appearance."

"I don't 'get into trouble', Sunshine," Rumplestiltskin told her, smirking as she dressed back into her dominatrix uniform. He stroked her cheek with a finger, uttering darkly, "I bring the trouble with me."

"That, you do." Jennifer returned. To prove a point, she kissed the palm of his hand and he simply watched her—the darkness of his eyes reflecting the insatiable lust he had for her...and returning once more.

"You're becoming a vice, Jennifer," Rumplestiltskin told her.

"I'm an urge of yours that can't ever be cured, Dark One." She whispered, her voice laced with temptation as she said his title. "But you are mine as well. And you're just going to have to continue living with that...forever."

"In this land..." Rumplestiltskin mused.

"And the next." Jennifer uttered. "And the one after that, and the one after that, and the one after that..."

"All right, that's enough. I have to leave." Rumplestiltskin told her, chuckling at her humor. "Will you be here when I get back?"

"Of course." Jennifer responded, smiling beautifully at him.

She kissed him on the cheek.

"I love you, Rumple."

"And I, you, Jennifer."

"Give my best to Regina," Jennifer returned.

"As you wish."

With that, he made a gentleman's bow to her, and she curtsied to him. As he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, another appeared and it was the prisoner back in his shackles. Luckily, for her, he had come back from his slighted nap. Seeing her, he began to scream again.


	15. Lovely Company

Chapter 15: Lovely Company

Cora had fallen into a mirror, ending up in a realm that Rumplestiltskin explained to Jennifer as being the most annoying world; apparently, Regina had finally looked past her fears about magic and used it herself. Rumplestiltskin persuaded Regina to take him as her teacher; so, many afternoons, Rumplestiltskin would leave the Dark Castle to begin the witch's lessons. Jennifer smiled when he kissed her good-bye, and as always, she promised she would be here when he returned.

And she would be.

But the lessons took time, so Jennifer filled it with more than just torturing peasants.

Jennifer wore her hunting gear. Tan pants that hugged her skin, brown boots that laced up to her knees, and a white top that pulled into her stomach naturally, rather than willfully squishing her organs. The top laced in the front, giving her bust more appeal, as the clothes of these days always did. Jennifer pulled her hair back in a high ponytail but over the years, when she allowed it to fall down casually, it would tangle around the small of her back. Jennifer stashed a knife inside the back of her boots, and one along the belt of her pants.

Before leaving, Jennifer stopped at the entrance of the Dark Castle, looking back furtively. She had become used to calling this fortress 'home', and it was her home, for whenever she left, she would miss it. However, a part of her was missing someone, and out of some open-ended need for closure, Jennifer began her journey.

As a vampire, it only took an hour to run where she wanted to be.

As she arrived the village, Jennifer pulled her hood over her face, walking past the villagers. She noticed that some of the great-grandchildren who had only been infants when Jennifer had been living in the village were now all grown up. She doubted her mother would be here; after all, before she had fled, her parents had been in their seventies. Now, they would be ancient—if they were alive.

Jennifer observed the crowd of people who walked around, selling their goods to those who would buy it, and talked and walked without a fear in the world. Their voices were care-free, almost happy. Jennifer hadn't heard that kind of sound in decades; then again, these people didn't know that there was a vampire walking among them. She lowered her hood, and after realizing her mother was no longer here, she turned around and left, leaving the villagers in peace.

Her heart took her to a pub that was located near the docks. Loud, drunken laughter from dirty—but hard-working—men greeted her when she opened the door; she saw women, barely dressed, lounging their bodies over these hard-party folks. She smiled when no one seemed to recognize her; then again, her duties were not always aligned with her husband; she was mostly behind-the-scenes. The fact that no one saw her—or could recognize her without her skin burning to a crisp—made her that more mysterious and dangerous. She inwardly smiled when the bartender greeted her pleasantly.

"Good afternoon, beautiful," he drawled, leaning over the pub. "What can I get you?"

"Bloody Mary," Jennifer answered lightly.

He nodded and did some flamboyant tosses of alcohol into a cup before placing it in front of her. Jennifer took her drink and walked to a table that was in the farthest corner of the pub; sitting in the booth, she observed the riot displaying before her. Pints were clinking, a woman was laughing too loudly, and her 'girlfriends' around were just as disgustingly open with their choices in sexual favors. Jennifer observed the other half of the pub where some of the patrons were quietly drinking, some looking a lot more depressed than others. Jennifer took a drink of her own depressant, feeling crestfallen. She had wanted to see her mother for what could have been the last time but obviously, time had gotten away from her—and she never even noticed.

"You look like you could use some company, love."

Jennifer lifted her eyes from her drink to see a handsome man dressed in black leather and wearing a black leather trench coat. Dark hair on his head, and the dark facial hair on his tanned complexion made him look fearsome but the blue eyes that looked on her with favor made the over all appearance of this man appealing.

"Company, huh?" Jennifer mused, smiling at him. "Is that what you're calling yourself?"

He sat down across from her, intrigued by her sass, maybe. Or maybe he had no other girl to charm. His right hand raised to the bartender to come on over and the man ordered a drink for himself.

"And another for this fiery minx before me," He said, smiling devilishly at Jennifer.

"What did you have, miss?" The bartender asked, looking at her.

"Actually, could I have a pint of rum?" Jennifer asked, handing the bartender her empty glass.

Jennifer's 'company' raised his eyebrows impressively at Jennifer, and the devilish smile became more mischievous. The bartender nodded, whistling low as he walked back to his little corner to make the drinks. Jennifer turned to her 'company'.

"You don't come here often," he said.

"I don't come here at all," Jennifer remarked.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

"Oh really? Why is that?"

The man placed his hand over hers.

"Because I'd hate to forget a beautiful vision like you," the man told her, winking.

Jennifer leaned back in her seat.

"Your pretty face gets you a lot of women, doesn't it?"

"Aye, love. More than I care to mention."

"You just did," Jennifer returned, smiling. "But how do I know you're more than just a pretty face. You could be nothing and I would be wasting my valuable time."

The man chuckled deeply. Jennifer noticed that he had a bit of pride in himself. Those blue eyes never leaving her face, just taking in their full view. The eye liner he wore made him appear sharper, more devilish. His shirt revealed some of his chest hair—whether that was by design or by his own doing, she didn't know. His over all appearance, however, did intrigue her.

"What's your name, love?"

"Does it matter?" Jennifer responded coolly.

The man smirked at her, saying, "You're playing hard to get."

"Nothing worth having was easily obtained." Jennifer mused, smirking at him.

The man looked at her, once more impressed by her sheer wit. When the bartender came by again and he gave her a pint, Jennifer thanked him and she drank the entire contents right down to the very last drop. Meanwhile, both the bartender and her handsome company stared at her, more shocked than impressed. Jennifer stood to her feet, and placed a handful of gold down on the table.

"I don't require that much," the Bartender stated, chuckling.

"Some of it is for him," Jennifer returned, inclining her head to the man across from her. She leaned in, smirking, saying, "You're a real charmer, sir. But it takes a lot more than a pretty face and charisma to get anywhere with me."

She left the pub and the pleasant company behind but then she was caught off guard as a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her behind the building. Jennifer quickly pulled out the knife from her belt, aiming it at whomever had dared to assault her, but slackened her grip when the point of the dagger was touched against the familiar company. Jennifer stared at the same man she'd just left, and smiled when he looked taken aback.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jennifer questioned. "I could have killed you."

"Aye, but I couldn't let you leave..." the man said, smiling.

"Why?"

"You never said 'good bye'."

Jennifer chuckled, "I must have made quite the impression on you."

"Well, you never let me answer your question."

"Which was?"

"Whether or not I'm wasting your time."  
Jennifer chuckled, rolling her eyes. She lowered the knife, stashing it along her belt. He watched her with a crooked smile.

"You have two minutes."

"I've traveled across the world—seen things you wouldn't believe. I can go anywhere..."

"How?"

"I have a ship." The man told her proudly. "Trust me, love. I am worth your time. Just as you..." He placed his right hand along her jaw, "Have been worthy of mine."

"And why would I even agree to go anywhere..." Jennifer drawled and she leaned forward so their faces were only centimeters from each other, "With you."

"Because I take what I want...and it usually comes willingly."

"Sounds a bit manipulative," Jennifer noted.

"Well, I'm a pirate, Love. That's what Pirates do."

Jennifer gave him a cool look.

"The pirates I have heard of, dear," Jennifer uttered quietly, "take mothers from their children. They take what they want, and give nothing back."

"Maybe you've met the wrong sort."

Jennifer eyed him carefully.

"What's your name, love?" she breathed, taunting him with a lingering kiss.

He took the bait, and touching his lips against hers, he whispered, "Jones. Captain Killian Jones."

BAM!  
Jennifer had punched him so hard that he was down on the ground, groaning as he held his face in one hand. The other hand, which had either been kept in his pocket or behind his back (maybe so he wouldn't 'frighten' her) was revealed to be a hook. Jennifer placed her hands on her hips, smirking as the man got to his feet.

"What the hell was that for!" Killian shouted.

"For being the wrong sort!" Jennifer snapped.

"I didn't even do anything!"

"Not to me," Jennifer snapped. "I've heard about you. Hook."

Killian stared at her, and seemed to realize that this woman was not exactly as she appeared to be. He seemed to try and figure out where they had known each other, but he couldn't.

She took him by the collar of his shirt and threw him against the wall of the building; he grunted with the harsh impact; the force of her throw put a dent in the wall in the shape of the pirate's body.

"Will you stop throwing me around like I'm a bloody rag doll!" Killian responded hotly. "What is your problem!"

Jennifer uttered softly, "You took a man's wife away, knowing she had a child. You made a boy motherless."

"Wait...wait a minute." Killian muttered. He pointed at her. "How do you know about..."

"Milah abandoned her child," Jennifer growled. "And you just let her walk away. Why would you do that?"

Killian was ready to retort but he stopped, staring at her.

"You..." Killian uttered. "Wait...I think I know you. You're the new one, aren't you? The new wife. You're married to that crocodile, aren't you?"

Jennifer scowled.

"Be careful what you say about him around me." Jennifer threatened dangerously.

"So you love him?" Killian asked, laughing derisively.

"More than I love myself," Jennifer responded emphatically.

Killian stepped towards her, pulling out his sword as a means of protecting himself. He would be damned if this woman shoved him into a wall again, or tried killing him. Now that he realized she had a personal vendetta against him, Killian wouldn't be too hurt to kill this woman...this vampire...this beast.

"You'll be crushed then," Killian said, "if you hear the real story behind what happened."

"I know the story, Captain." Jennifer told him, crossing her arms. "Milah fell in love with you. She left with you after hearing all these stupid stories you told. And you—the irresponsible pirate—allowed her to abandon her son."

"Will you stop with the guilt-trip?" Killian returned callously. "I've endured my own pain, Vampire. He came back for her. He ripped out her heart and crushed it—did he tell you that?"

Jennifer chuckled, saying, "Yes."

Killian stepped back, a little shocked that she knew the entire truth.

"You know?" Killian breathed darkly. "You KNOW what kind of a MONSTER he is and you still love him?"

Jennifer smirked, saying, "Even better." She giggled, adding mischievously, "I married him. I had my happy ending, Captain. It's a shame yours had to die."

Killian lost what little self control he had as he roared, pulling back his sword and running towards her. Jennifer giggled wickedly as she dodged him, her eyes flickering to their bright yellow orbs and practically glowing in the night sky. He frowned deeply, but there was a spark of fear when he saw just how wicked the vampire appeared. Jennifer dodged him again when he tried to attack her, and she kicked him over the edge so he fell into the water.

"You were right," Jennifer mused, watching him surface. "I did enjoy your company. But you're not going to be able to kill me, dearest. Not in this life time anyway."

"Your death will come by my hand," Killian swore as he swam to the edge to pull himself up. "And so will the death of your cowardly husband."

Jennifer shrugged; "We'll see. Good bye, Killian."

In a flash, she was gone.

Killian pulled himself up to the dry surface and shouted angrily, hacking at the dock with his sword in an uncontrollable amount of rage. He lost his happiness, and meanwhile the damn crocodile had found his own and the two were happily living together, enjoying each other, while he was forever to feel damned and heart broken. He'd get his revenge. Oh, yes, he would—against the crocodile and the vampire bat. If it was the last thing he'd do.


	16. The Second Apprentice

Chapter 16: The 2nd Apprentice

Jennifer hummed as she walked around the stove, preparing dinner. Jennifer wore one of her simpler dresses, a black-and-white with thin spaghetti straps; it was backless, and it dropped to the middle of her calves. At this point of the afternoon, she was barefoot. The roast was cooking in the oven, and soup was being made on the stove.

As though her humming had drawn him into the room, Rumplestiltskin entered, watching Jennifer curiously.

"Where do you go this time?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

Jennifer dipped a spoon into the soup and tasted it, licking her lips. Her scowl signified dissatisfaction, and she added more soup to remedy. Stirring the pot, Jennifer turned her gaze upon him; she saw him in his more 'regal' outfits: red leather, the collar turned upwards to cradle his neck, but still as handsome as ever.

"To a certain ocean to see a mermaid," Jennifer uttered.

"Mermaids are dangerous," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"They are," she replied. She leaned towards him, grinning beautifully. "But as am I."

Rumplestiltskin hopped onto the long table that stretched in the large kitchen from one area of the room to other. He crossed his legs, his hands folding into his lap.

"What was your business with a mermaid?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"Eh, she's not really a mermaid anymore," Jennifer uttered, shrugging. "Once upon a time, maybe. But these days, she is far from it." Eyes twinkling, she said to him, "She has turned herself into an infernal creature, an octopus and has become the very thing the ocean—and its explorers—fear."

Jennifer tapped the spoon against the pot, placing it aside. She turned around and walked towards Rumplestiltskin. He watched her as though entranced and yet still wary of her delicate strut. As she came nearer, Rumplestiltskin uncrossed his legs only for her to move between them. He smiled a little.

"That captain of whom you spoke—Hook." Jennifer mentioned gently. "He took her voice, her ability to sing—her happy ending. At some point, her alliance will be worth having—a goddess, a witch, of the entire ocean. I visited the ocean today while you were teaching Regina a few magic tricks."

"And?" Rumplestiltskin encouraged. "How did that go?"

"She was a little disgruntled," Jennifer admitted. "No one is entirely happy to meet with a Vampire."

"Being the Dark One's wife doesn't help with your reputation either, dearie."

"A small price to pay for the love of my life," Jennifer returned.

"So what deal did you make with the sea witch for her allegiance?" Rumplestiltskin asked, knowingly.

Jennifer smirked, saying, "Not all of us have a penchant for making deals, honey."

"Can't imagine doing business any other way," Rumplestiltskin replied.

"I told her it was a matter of circumstance." Jennifer said. She moved back to the stove, stirring the soup and checking on the roast; Rumplestiltskin furrowed his eyebrows curiously.

"How's that, now?" he asked.

Jennifer said, "You told me that you would need help obtaining this Dark Curse. You would need someone to get through the bloody scarabs—which I assume Cruella would do what you'd like. Ursula has those long, creepy tentacles—she can get through any barrier possible. Getting women to be on your side is easy when you're a charismatic Dark One. Getting them to trust you...is a completely different story."

Rumplestiltskin hopped off the table, laughing.

"So that's where you come in?" Rumplestiltskin asked. "You're going to have a heart-to-heart with these 'Queens of Darkness'? I'm flattered by your efforts to make the job easier, but I don't need help. As you've already said: I'm charismatic." He made a gesture to himself.

"Fine," Jennifer mused. "You deal with the catty broads." She tasted the soup again. "Their personalities are as a dower as this soup—there's no improving it."

Rumplestiltskin sighed, placing his arms around Jennifer.

"You don't want to make the job easier, dearie—you just despise the idea of me going on a journey with three women," Rumplestiltskin told her.

Jennifer shrugged and nonchalantly said, "Of course not. That's not it at all."

"I love it when you try to hide your jealousy," Rumplestiltskin whispered. "But it's a feat you've never been able to achieve."

"Oh, shut up." Jennifer uttered, pushing him away.

Rumplestiltskin chuckled.

"I won't have to obtain the Dark Curse for some time—Regina is still lacking," Rumplestiltskin stated as though to reassure her. "She's been unable to do a simple teleportation trick—I expect it will take her a few more weeks to do it."

Jennifer shrugged again, her voice higher than usual: "I don't care either way, Rumple. You can go with the girls and I will stay here—it's just less I have to do."

"Hiding your emotions has never been your strength, Jennifer." Rumplestiltskin said softly. He took her hand in his, pulling her to him; she gave a sigh of reluctance but the smile tugged at her lips. "Trust me, Darling—you have no competition."

Jennifer saw in his eyes that he was telling her the truth. Her insecurity left her as he and Jennifer shared a passionate albeit soft kiss. Before things became hot and heavy, Jennifer breathlessly stopped it from going any further saying, "Dinner's ready."

000

Rumplestiltskin left many more times in the next months that followed. After Regina had dropped Rumplestiltskin as her teacher for a whole day—it had been relieving for Jennifer and him to spend time together—but just in the same day, Regina had ridden back home on a flying dragon (Maleficent). Regina had expressed that if she wanted to get her well-deserved revenge, it would have to be done within time and patience and she accepted Rumplestiltskin back as her teacher. Her lessons had continued, cutting into the valuable time that was their marriage life. However, Jennifer filled her own time with things to do.

Some of it happened to be conspiring with Maleficent about evil deeds, comparing castle modifications; sometimes, Jennifer simply visited for the tea. Maleficent had some mad skills when it came to making the perfect sweet tea. While Maleficent seemed to stay wary of Jennifer's friendship, the two women seemed to be the closest people that they could call 'friends'. They could never truly be friends—both of them knew this. Jennifer knew Maleficent would eventually become bait for a Chernabog (thanks to her husband's vision), and Maleficent knew better than to trust the Dark One's wife. However—despite their differences—they were civilized, sharing small talk.

If she wasn't conspiring with the brooding dragon, Jennifer was making more trips to fill her boredom.

Jennifer took off for days (not before telling Rumplestiltskin she would be gone for a time); however, this time around, a bit of trouble had found her—several of the peasants had led themselves into a huge mob with torches—and Jennifer sprinted far away as possible. Jennifer's blood lust had finally met its match. At some point, the mob had been stopped by a strongly spoken woman by name of Snow White. Despite Snow's attempts to calm the crowd, there was a large outcry for her head to be nailed on a pike, and her number of enemies seemed to spike. Quickly, she ran for miles—then into the Dark Castle, slamming the doors shut behind her. Jennifer caught her breath, glancing back out the door, then closing it back calmly when there was no one else coming. It was obvious, of course, that no smart person would follow her into the Dark Castle.

"Shit, that was close," Jennifer muttered.

"Who are you?"

Jennifer startled, hearing a voice other than her husband's. She turned suddenly, bearing for attack and saw a woman. She had bright green eyes, luscious strawberry blonde curls that framed her face. She wore a beautiful dress, and in her hand swirled an electric ball of green smoke.

"Who are you?" Jennifer returned icily.

"I'm asking the questions here," the woman retorted, her eyes brightening.

Jennifer smiled sardonically, stepping towards her.

"No..." she mused quietly, "I am."

Apparently, Jennifer wasn't the only one with impulse control issues for this woman threw the ball of electric green at her; the magic power forced Jennifer on her knees; she cringed when it did. It hadn't hurt—but the only person she ever permitted to use magic on her was Rumplestiltskin—and that was when the situation called for it (be it out of sexual urgency or a matter of stopping her from killing a vital aspect to a bigger picture).

"Now," the woman breathed coldly. "You will tell me who you are. If you don't, I will kill you."

Jennifer laughed—the echoes of the sinister sound made this woman back up a little, but she held her hand out to Jennifer, prepared to do what was necessary.

"You can't kill me," Jennifer uttered. "You can certainly try though."

The woman raised her hand up in the air, and Jennifer was forced in the air with it. Then she was slammed against the door. Jennifer grunted, but her dark smile remained.

"I will kill you, you know. I can." The woman reassured.

"If you're so sure," Jennifer breathed darkly, "Then why haven't you done it already?"

"I want to know your name first."

"And I want to know yours." Jennifer returned smartly. "So I know what to put on your tombstone after I slit your throat and shove your fucking intestines down your gullet."

Holding her against the door, the woman raised her other hand as she furiously conjured a ball of fire. The red reflected in Jennifer's eyes as the flames shot towards her; the woman was grinning widely. Then suddenly, the flames were enveloped into a bright blue force field that suddenly appeared in front of Jennifer; the magic that held her against the door was lost as she dropped to her knees. The woman's body was pushed back by an invisible force and the shock of it made her trip backwards, so she fell onto her butt. As the flames were being swallowed into this blue shield, the blue had come from the side; Jennifer and the other woman followed it to see Rumplestiltskin lowering both his hands when the flames had completely disappeared.

"I guess I don't need to worry about introducing you two," Rumplestiltskin pointed out. "Since you've already met?"

"Who is she!" Jennifer and the other woman shouted, pointing at the other.

Rumplestiltskin chuckled, saying, "Jennifer, this is Zelena. Zelena—Jennifer." He gesticulated to the woman of the appropriate name, as he introduced them.

"Who the hell is Zelena?" Jennifer growled.

"My second apprentice," Rumplestiltskin returned.

"I—" Zelena began.

Jennifer punched her and she flew across the room. Rumplestiltskin giggled, smiling at his wife.

"Why the hell is she in the castle?" Jennifer questioned angrily.

"How dare you strike me—," snarled an unhappy Zelena; she came strutting back with fireballs in each hand.

Rumplestiltskin put an arm in front of Jennifer, pushing her back and behind him. Jennifer's anger disappeared, obviously realizing that Zelena was simply an apprentice—like Regina—and nothing more. However, the way Zelena was reacting, Jennifer assumed that this woman thought there was something between them. Jennifer suddenly felt very possessive and yet very proud.

"Stop," Rumplestiltskin told Zelena.

"But she—"

"You may have incredible power, dearie," Rumplestiltskin told her, "but the woman behind me has the pain tolerance of a Dark One. Not to mention, of course, she's a vampire."

"Thank you," Jennifer returned, flattered.

"You're welcome," Rumplestiltskin responded, smiling at her.

"But who is she?" Zelena snarled, frowning deeply at Jennifer.

"Jennifer is my wife," Rumplestiltskin replied casually. Zelena looked suddenly crestfallen and Rumplestiltskin said smoothly, "You didn't know? Oh—well, I thought everyone knew. Surprises all around—for all of us."

Sensing her safety, Rumplestiltskin lowered his arm from Jennifer, who beamed at him. While Zelena seemed incapable of digesting this for she appeared positively incoherent, Rumplestiltskin turned to his wife.

"You've created quite the fuss—what did you do this time?"

"Me?" Jennifer retorted. "I didn't do anything."

"You were running from someone."

"Yeah," Jennifer returned, tiredly. "A lot of someones. Did you know that in the woods there lives a woman named Red?"

"Red Riding Hood, sure," Rumplestiltskin replied.

"Well, apparently her and her granny have an adversary against vampires that dates back for centuries—before you and I were ever born," Jennifer muttered. She glanced at Zelena furtively, then to Rumplestiltskin, "They caught me drinking from one of their people..."

"A werewolf?"

"No—a person—a normal person," Jennifer specified when Rumplestiltskin seemed confused by the conflict. "They turned into these massive wolves and threatened my life."

"So naturally, you tried to kill them."

"Because they tried to kill me first!" Jennifer responded a little too childishly. She crossed her arms. "Apparently, this Red woman is friends with Snow White—she's been aiding her, along with everyone else, and they found out what I had done."

"You mean eating a normal person and then trying to launch a massive massacre on werewolves," Rumplestiltskin clarified, gesticulating to her.

"Well, yeah." Jennifer returned.

"Did Snow White lead the mob?" asked Rumplestiltskin.

"No, she tried stopping it."

"As expected," Rumplestiltskin mused.

"Well, I am glad you're finding some amusement from all of this—I just spent the last 500 miles running from these crazy people. Now I have werewolves wanting me dead. It wouldn't be so bad if I knew they wouldn't pee on my head just to claim me."

"I don't think werewolves do that," Rumplestiltskin said.

"How would you know—are you a flea-bitten mutt?"

"The last I checked? No."

Jennifer bypassed his sass, and said, "I think I lost them a while ago. I thought I would be safe here until this crazy broad went bat shit crazy."

Zelena, who had been listening to their whole conversation, suddenly stepped forward. Rumplestiltskin sighed, looking up at the ceiling with exasperation when Jennifer, feeling threatened, stepped forward to.

"I don't care what you think of me," Zelena snarled. "I will be the one to cast the Dark Curse. Not you."

"Wake up, Princess, do I even look like a fucking witch to you?"

"No—but I bet you couldn't even cast a single spell even if your life depended on it."

"I'll cast one right now," Jennifer dared. "It's called 'I'm-going-to-bite-your-face-off if you don't back off right now."

Zelena's hands filled with fire; Jennifer's eyes turned yellow, and her fangs elongated.

"What are you waiting for?" Zelena challenged.

Jennifer stared at her incredulously. Suddenly, she closed her eyes and a force of calm washed over her. Rumplestiltskin watched her, admirably, as her eyes slowly turned from their bright sunshine haze to the oceanic color of calm. She stepped back.

"You're not even worth my time," Jennifer uttered, rolling her eyes.

She smiled, stepping towards Rumplestiltskin.

He wasn't complaining when Jennifer shoved her mouth on his, her fingers combing into his hair, pushing his mouth against hers. After a minute had passed, Jennifer pulled away smiling at Rumplestiltskin, who said quietly, "I think you've proven your point, dearie."

Jennifer smiled at him saying, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

She looked at Zelena, who looked murderous.

"Have fun with your lesson." Jennifer said. She waved at her, then walked away.

000

Jennifer's pleasure at Zelena's downfall increased when Rumplestiltskin informed that Regina got the job of casting the Curse. In order to cast it, both girls would have had to give up what they loved the most and Zelena, unknown to her, loved Rumplestiltskin, making her too dangerous.

Rumplestiltskin told Jennifer, "She's a bit of a loose cannon."

"Nah—she's just a jealous woman," Jennifer mused. She smiled at him. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Rumplestiltskin could vouch for that. Witches were dangerous enough. When riled enough, they would become complete monsters after the darkness filled their souls. That's precisely why Regina was perfect.

"So I'm assuming Regina is going to ask for this Curse?" asked Jennifer.

"Not directly—she'll be led in that direction," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"So you're going to make it as though it was her idea?" asked Jennifer.

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her, saying, "That's the only way she will ever be able to carry the process all the way through. Magic is emotion: If you will it, it will do what you want. This Dark Curse is no different."

Jennifer, realizing just how brilliant he was, smiled at him and kissed him just as passionately as before. Rumplestiltskin reciprocated it.


	17. All Magic Comes With A Price

000

Jennifer felt the softness of the sheets embrace her body as she lied in the bed, her body aching. She chuckled as she felt her back pop, muttering, "I forget I am no spring chicken." And it was just as well, knowing she turned 122 years old today.

122 years. Phew, where had all that time gone. Jennifer had outlived her friends in the old village, outlived her parents, and the children born from people the same age as her, and even maybe their children. A century and two decades...god, that sounded impossible if Jennifer wasn't alive to see it for herself. And yet, despite her age, she still appeared eighteen years old.

She pulled the cover over her head as the sun was setting, hoping she could find some sleep. It was hard to sleep when she knew Rumplestiltskin was gone from the castle. In her mind, she told herself over and over that he could take care himself. For crying out loud, he was the Dark One.

But that was just it. When she saw Rumplestiltskin, she didn't see the Dark One—well, she did, but there was more to him. She saw the man she had fallen in love with all those years ago, before their marriage, before the Dark One, and before a vampire had transformed her into a life she'd never thought would be worth having. Before all of that, Jennifer had fallen in love with a man who had run from the battle lines, injured himself intentionally so he could be with his son. She'd fallen in love with a man, and while the reptilian orbs and gold shimmer that was his skin could hide it all, underneath that shimmer was warm flesh. And, sure, he had become a little more eccentric over the years as the Darkness pulled at his heart strings, but he felt just as deeply and strongly for her as he ever did.

The years they had spent together—all eighty-two of them—had shown this.

Her heart would surely break and shatter if anything ever happened to him. If someone hurt him—if someone tried to even lay a hand on him—Jennifer would lose this human part of herself and unleash the beast for certain. The human part of her had maintained the vampire...the logic and reason behind emotion and passion was forever locked into her heart, thanks to the conditions she had set before taking the vampire bite. And while it had served her well, Jennifer knew that if something ever happened to her True Love, that human part would leave. All that would remain in her body would be a vengeful, sadistic, blood thirsty beast of a vampire.

That, in itself, only made Rumplestiltskin more important to her.

The Darkness between the two of them had only grown stronger. Jennifer had become aware long ago that she had felt stronger, faster, and more light on her feet the day after he and Jennifer would spend hours together. She practically fed off the power of the Dark One, and the wedding ring that symbolized that she would forever have his heart and he would have hers) only made it more powerful. The Sun's Kiss would glow brightly in the day time, giving Jennifer the power to walk in the sun. It was a gift from her husband to offer her one of her happy endings.

The first had been him.

The second was to see and live in the sun again.

And while the third had yet to happen, Jennifer was certain that after this Curse was enacted, maybe they would one day have another child. Baelfire was never forgotten, and until he was returned, the idea of having another seemed spiteful to his remembrance. But Jennifer desired a child with Rumplestiltskin more than anything in the world.

She would walk in the dark forever if that's what it took for her to be able to give Rumplestiltskin a son or a daughter, to give him what he missed out on all those other years. They would have a second chance to have a family they never had the chance of having, and with Baelfire back, they could be even more.

Jennifer smiled in spite of herself. Sleep never came to her when she wanted it most. Her thoughts kept her up. Thoughts of Baelfire, which made her sad. Thoughts of her mother, which brought out her anger and fire, and sometimes, regret. Thoughts of her love for Rumplestiltskin, and what they deserved most.

Eventually, they would get what they felt they deserved. But it would take time. And time, she had—122 years had passed. 104 of those years were spent as a vampire. She could do it. She could wait. After all, she had told Hook the same thing: "Things worth having were never easily obtained."

Somehow, this thinking calmed Jennifer's mind. She turned on her side, ready to embrace a good night's sleep.

000

Time had passed...a great deal of it.

Jennifer looked through her dresses, not sure what to wear for the day. She felt a breeze, the cold nipping her skin as she was only wearing a simple black night slip. By now she could recognize when it was a draft and when it was Rumplestiltskin appearing in usual array of red smoke. She turned casually to see him smiling widely at her.

"What?" Jennifer asked.

Rumplestiltskin strolled to her with a bounce in his step, taking her hand and he twirled her around before tilting her back into a professional dancer's dip; Jennifer giggled when he kissed her. She returned it as he lifted her back so she could stand at her usual angle.

"Someone's happy," Jennifer noted.

"I am. And you should be too." Rumplestiltskin told her.

He snapped his fingers and Jennifer looked down at herself to see she was in a long red dress. She gave him a curious look. Then he held up a scroll, smiling at her. Jennifer's eyes widened.

"Oh my god—is that it?" Jennifer explained.

"Indeed, it is." Rumplestiltskin returned, smiling at her.

Jennifer smiled when he gave it to her so she could hold it. She giggled quietly. The power of this Dark Curse, even though useless to her for she held no magical power, still felt dark and delicious. Knowing what it could do...of what it was capable, Jennifer felt a little empowered.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Rumplestiltskin asked, winking at her.

"Very," Jennifer returned, handing it back to him. "I thought it would look more...you know...fiendish. Covered in flames with a nice skull on it. Some cross bones." She looked down at her red dress—the hem itself stopped at her knees, but the veil around her hips fell past her feet, creating a devil's bride look.

"Not all curses appear to be curses." Rumplestiltskin said. "You'd be amazed just how unpredictable fairy dust can be."

"It is pretty," Jennifer uttered, thinking about it. She looked at him curiously. "Did you go alone?"

"Of course not. The 'Queens of Darkness' came with me."

"And how did that go?" Jennifer asked.

"Good for me. Not for them."

"That's a shame," Jennifer said sadly. "I started to like Maleficent."

"A means to an end but the end is justified."

Jennifer folded her hands together, the fingers of her right hand caressing the wedding band on her left. She would have exclaimed that leaving a friend to die for something as evil as a curse would have been unnecessary and the wrong thing to do. But these days—maybe it was just Time—she had grown to accept the Fate of most things. Jennifer knew that in order to get what they wanted—Baelfire—no one would stand in their way. Sometimes, sacrifices had to be made.

Hearing Jennifer's silence, Rumplestiltskin looked at her.

"Do you think they all died—Ursula and Cruella too?"

"If they didn't—I'm sure we'll see them again." Rumplestiltskin said.

"I have my concerns about that."

"About what?"

"Seeing people again—in this new land." Jennifer remarked uncomfortably. "If Regina gets what she wants, this Dark Curse takes away our memories. How will I remember who I am? How will I remember you?"

Rumplestiltskin could see her worry. She was not showing anything short of an emotion but as many years as he'd been with her and had gotten to know the true Jennifer, Rumplestiltskin knew she was starting to doubt. She didn't seem to doubt him, but the Curse made her unsure. Rumplestiltskin folded the scroll into his hands, allowing the magic to swallow it so it was no longer in the room, then he wrapped his arms around her.

Jennifer met his gaze.

"I can't imagine a world where I don't have you," Jennifer uttered quietly. "It's unthinkable."

"You will always come back to me, Jennifer. In this land. In the next." Rumplestiltskin reassured. "And I..." he caressed her face with his hands, his thumbs stroking the corners of her lips so she instinctively smiled, "will come back to you—The Dark One and Rumplestiltskin."

"I'm so glad I've collected the love of both your good and bad side." Jennifer mewed.

"I consider you an incredibly large part of me, dearie. That..." he kissed her "Has never changed. Nor will it ever. As I have always said: You are my heart. You always have been, and always will be."

"Always?" Jennifer whispered.

"Always." Rumplestiltskin promised.

He held her in his arms as she placed her head against his chest. If anything, he would make it so she would be with him in this next land. She may not remember who she is or who he really was—and vice versa—but the cursed memories would have kept them together. He'd make sure to make a deal with Regina about that. Anything to put his wife's worries to rest.

Jennifer said softly, "I love you, Rumples."

"I love you too, Jennifer." He said.

After their moment passed, he looked at her saying, "Why do you still call me 'Rumples'?"

"It's like 'cuddles' but less wishy washy." Jennifer offered, smirking. "We've been together nearly 96 years and you're saying something now?"

When he shrugged carelessly, she giggled.

He kissed her cheek.

"So why am I wearing a red dress?" asked Jennifer.

"Oh no special occasion," Rumplestiltskin returned. "You seemed to have a hard time with your selection so I chose what I thought looked the best on you."

"Oh—my hero."

"Not a hero, sweetheart." Rumplestiltskin returned. "Villain."

"Right," said Jennifer, smirking. "I think you look more villain-y anyway."

Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes as she made little devil horns with her fingers. This woman never failed to amuse him.

000

Jennifer laced her fingers together as she sat at the long table for what felt a few more minutes before she moved her hands again and again, her nerves refusing to calm despite her better efforts. Rumplestiltskin had gone to collect a debt from the newly married Cinderella. Sometimes, these matters would take a couple of weeks, sometimes as long as a month, but Jennifer had something important to talk about whenever he had gotten back.

And yet...

What if something happened to him?

He's the Dark One, Jennifer's logic began the debate, he'll be fine; he can take care of himself.

And what if he can't?

What would keep him away?

A deal that had taken too long?

A deal that has GONE wrong, perhaps. 

He said he would come back. I'll just wait here patiently.

You may have waited too long.

Jennifer cursed her worrisome nerves. Damn it, what if those thoughts were right? What if something did happen to him? Her heart suddenly started racing...what if someone else had taken his dagger, stabbed him, and the murderer become the Dark One? She'd have never known. She would never know.

Jennifer glanced at her wedding ring.

Then again, maybe I would.

Jennifer smiled. The ring on her hand was forged by the Dark One's power and pixie dust. If this ring was still held intact, that only meant Rumplestiltskin was still the Dark One, still able to hold a part of his power—a part of himself—in this ring so she could walk in the sunlight.

So at least he was alive.

Alive...so far. 

"SHUT UP!" Jennifer screamed. "That's it. I'm not waiting to find out. I'm leaving now."

Jennifer marched up to the bedroom, pulled on her hunting uniform, laced up her boots, and placed a knife in her boot and one against her belt. She braided her hair into one long tail, the end of the long rope swishing left and right along her lower back as she jogged out of the Dark Castle.

If he would not come back to her. Then she would just have to come back to him. Or find him, really. Wherever he was.

Jennifer's first stop was clear.

She had to visit little miss thang, Cinderella. Or 'Ella' as she was told by a few people. Some claimed she had been living a destitute life, serving under her wicked stepmother and stepsisters and a fairy had come to her, giving her a way out of her miserable life. She had gone to the midnight ball, had fallen in love with the Prince, her True Love. She was pregnant, they said.

Jennifer sighed. Rumplestiltskin was no fairy god mother—the story was already wrecked from the get-go. Rumplestiltskin had mentioned a deal with Cinderella, the whole reason behind his leaving. After giving her the life she wanted and saying she could shoulder the consequences of the deal, Rumplestiltskin had gone to collect the debt. Jennifer figured it was something more than just jewels—he could spin straw into gold; such things didn't matter to him.

But a child...

Ah, yes. That definitely sounded more like him.

Jennifer stopped at the palace, sneaking into the gardens. She could hear someone talking...two people actually. One was a woman, a girl who looked no older than eighteen years old. Jennifer bent down at her knees when she heard the second voice.

It was Rumplestiltskin. Jennifer's loins burned when she saw what he was wearing. Those leather pants of his—damn it. He had a darker look to him, not the other flamboyant colors he wore. This one matched her interests, the dark look of his tunic, the way it would simply cling to his skin. Jennifer shuddered, but ignored (somehow) her baser urges. What this man could still do to her when he didn't even know she was here.

"You know," Rumplestiltskin pointed out, holding a red quill in his hand. "Only magic can stop me."

Cinderella said uneasily, "I..I'm not trying to stop you."

"Of course you're not," Rumplestiltskin stated, but he still sounded suspicious. "Because as everyone knows, 'all magic comes with a price'. And if you were to use this quill to say—imprison me—your debt to me..." he placed the quill underneath Cinderella's chin, clearly (and successfully) intimidating her "Would only grow. And we wouldn't want that now, would we?"

Cinderella shook her head, stepping back to get away from the infernal quill and said quietly, "Sign the contract, please."

Jennifer watched Cinderella intensely. Why was her radar going off around this girl? Jennifer shifted her position to a more comfortable placement and the twigs underneath snapped. Cinderella glanced sideways in her direction as though knowing someone was there, but at the same time...Jennifer hardly doubted Cinderella knew it was her. This only made Jennifer more suspicious.

And who would offer a second child for something as simple as crops? Never the less a child for riches. Some people took their children for granted, but not Jennifer. And certainly, not Rumplestiltskin. Cinderella—the princess...tsk tsk tsk. Rags to riches, but they all stay bitches.

"Are you sure you are happy with this new arrangement?" Rumplestiltskin questioned.

Pointedly, Cinderella held up the contract indicatively.

Rumplestiltskin beamed, taking the parchment from her.

"So it shall be!" Rumplestiltskin uttered with a small giggle. He signed his name. As he tapped the parchment with finality, Jennifer gasped as his entire body suddenly became immobilized.

Cinderella then started shouting, "THOMAS!"

Rumplestiltskin said dangerously, "No one breaks deals with me..dearie."

Jennifer glared as Cinderella's lover boy, Thomas, a dwarf and a man came to assist. Jennifer's disgust deepened when she saw Prince Charming (or rather, David) come to the princess' aide. Jennifer kept her stance, however...fighting the urge...for now.

Rumplestiltskin told Cinderella darkly, "No matter what where you are, no matter where you go, in this land or in the next, I will have that baby."

Cinderella screamed for them again. Jennifer watched as they pulled Rumplestiltskin into a carriage, bars on it like a jail cell. He looked so different behind bars...like a caged animal. Jennifer's heart raced, and her blood began to boil. She stood from her hiding place. Rumplestiltskin was leaving her—and not by his intentions. That only meant that Jennifer would lose him.

And she wasn't going to have any of that.

Not when they had come this far—and so close to getting what they wanted, to getting the family they needed back together again.

Jennifer started forward, her eyes flickering to the yellow bright orbs. Her fangs lengthened. Her feet remained quite stealthy. While Charming, the Dwarf (they called him "Grumpy" for some damn reason) and Thomas were locking and securing the gate, Jennifer sneaked up behind Cinderella. The scream from the princess made all of the men look up, including Rumplestiltskin, who grinned widely and giggled when he saw Jennifer.

"NO!" Thomas shouted, and he ran forward.

Charming snatched his arm and pulled him back.

"Don't, Thomas—no, stop...wait..." Charming ordered.

Jennifer held Cinderella in front of her. Her hands were wrapped around Cinderella's throat, her fingernails were more claws than nails. Those eyes of hers practically glowing in the pale moon light. Jennifer was—for lack of a better phrase—pissed off.

"Let him go," Jennifer growled.

"Who the hell is she!" Grumpy exclaimed, staring at Charming. Then, knowing better, he turned to Rumplestiltskin. "WHO IS SHE!"

Jennifer growled in response, "I'm his wife. Now let. Him. Go."

"Thomas!" Cinderella cried. "Thomas, help!"

"What's her name?" Grumpy asked quietly. "We could reason with her."

"You can try," Rumplestiltskin said lightly. "But I don't see that happening, dearie."

"Shut up!" Grumpy snapped.

Jennifer looked at Cinderella, smiling at her.

"You agreed to a contract, little girl," Jennifer mused. "And you wait all of this time to go back on a deal? That's bad business."

"I'm...I'm not a little girl," Cinderella uttered. "Your the same age as me."

"Hardly," Jennifer returned. "I may look 18, but I haven't been eighteen for decades." She looked at Charming and Thomas, saying coldly, "You want your precious princess back. You let my husband go. If you don't, I will make you wish you had."

Thomas glanced at Charming uneasily, whimpering, "David, she's going to hurt her."

"No, she's not," Charming returned carefully.

"I wouldn't put it past her though!" Grumpy told him impatiently.

Jennifer suddenly felt a pain shoot up her shoulder. She threw Cinderella across the yard—unintentionally in the arms of Charming and Thomas—and whirled around to see Snow White holding a bow and arrow. It did explain why Jennifer felt pain; the woman had shot her. Jennifer jerked it out of her arm, hissing, then went after her.

"Oh!" Snow gasped, and she started running.

Rumplestiltskin giggled at the sight. Jennifer tackled Snow to the ground, straddling her waist.

"As if you can fight me off," Jennifer growled. She stood and threw Snow White up in the air and snatched her so she could slam her into the ground. "As if you could outrun me!" She let Snow get to her feet for sprinting start, but Jennifer caught her hair and pulled her back, punching her hard. Snow was down, almost unconscious.

"Thomas! Please, don't let her take my baby."

Jennifer advanced towards them.

"Don't happen to have a stake on you, do you, Charming," Grumpy muttered.

"If you do," Rumplestiltskin offered, "I advise you to get it right the first time. She gets temperamental."

"Thanks," David said sarcastically. Breathlessly, he reached for his sword, as did Thomas.

"Come on, you fanged bitch," Grumpy muttered. "We've got this!"

Jennifer moved forward.

"Too bad we don't have any of that squid ink for her," Grumpy whispered.

"Wouldn't work," Charming responded. "She's not magic. She's a Vampire."

"Damn right I am," Jennifer growled.

She shot forward, but she was stopped by something. Jennifer glared daggers at Charming, who held two swords in his hand and aimed them at the cage in which Rumplestiltskin was imprisoned. Rumplestiltskin, himself, looked a little impressed, but clearly not happy with what now was being threatened. Jennifer stared at Charming.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Jennifer questioned darkly.

"You don't care what happens to you," Charming whispered. "But you obviously do care what happens to him. If you harm Cinderella...or any of us...I will hurt him."

"He means more to me than you can possibly understand," Jennifer whispered coldly. Her hand touched her shoulder where the arrow had pierced her, and the other remained on her stomach.

Jennifer frowned, looking at Rumplestiltskin who shrugged as Charming pushed the sword's tip against Rumplestiltskin's body. He wouldn't die from it, but he'd feel every bit of it. Imagining Rumplestiltskin being tortured over and over through stabbing was something Jennifer couldn't even bear. Jennifer glanced behind her to see Snow White stirring.

"You leave now..." Charming ordered. "And he will be unharmed. If you don't..."

Jennifer emitted the growl of an angry bear. It was deeply terrifying; even Charming, as brave as he was, backed up a little bit. Cinderella's eyes widened in horror. Jennifer's form began growing; Rumplestiltskin watched—impressed and a little shocked—as large bat-like wings extend from her back. Her face contorted as her nose became bat-like, her eyes becoming full-fledged brazen yellow embers. Her fingers extended and from them grew large, black claws; her ears became pointed and gray, as did the rest of her skin. In minutes, a winged beast with large fangs stood before them.

"I didn't know she could do that..." Grumpy gulped.

"I didn't either," Rumplestiltskin muttered.

The men and Cinderella stared at him, taken aback. All of them had a look of 'oh shit' on their faces. But that all seemed to go away when someone shot a large steak into Jennifer's body. The sound was gut wrenching as it tore through flesh and organs.

"No!" Rumplestiltskin shouted; he grasped the bars of his cage, trying to get out.

Jennifer echoed out an animal gutteguttural crying, falling forward to reveal Snow White holding a cross bow.

"Where did you get that?" Charming demanded. "That would have been helpful two seconds ago!"

"I fashioned it a while back," Snow informed. "Red and I already encountered her like this before. I didn't have one then; I'm glad I have one now. Ella, are you all right?"

"Jennifer!" Rumplestiltskin called out. His voice broke a little as he called to her again, "Jennifer!"

The Charmings and Cinderella glanced down at Jennifer, who was no longer this wretched beast. Instead, they saw a woman wearing a tattered, torn hunting uniform, lying on her stomach. At first, she didn't move. She didn't move at all.

"Did you...?" Cinderella whispered.

"I don't know," Snow muttered.

She bent down, touching Jennifer on the shoulder. Everyone, including Rumplestiltskin held their breath. Jennifer suddenly inhaled deeply and sharply, looking up and at Snow White. Seeing her, she reached out to swipe at her, but Jennifer suddenly cried out, holding her stomach. She stood to her knees, glancing down to the stake having open a part of her belly, but the rest had been uninjured. Even then, Jennifer had started sobbing.

Jennifer began to stand, looking at all of them with murder in her eyes, but something brought her back down onto her knees. She groaned miserably. They watched her suddenly dig her hand deep into her stomach as though to find the wretched thing that was causing her so much pain. Cinderella looked away while the men stared at her, too horrified to speak.

"Jennifer?" Rumplestiltskin said her name, more out of concern than horror. But he watched his wife pull something out of her belly.

Snow put a hand over her mouth when Jennifer held in her hand something small enough to hold in her arms but no bigger than her hand. Rumplestiltskin lowered his head sadly as Snow White, Charming, Thomas, Grumpy, and Cinderella saw Jennifer holding a half-formed baby.

"You..." Jennifer whispered. "You killed her."

"Jennifer...Jen..." Snow began, walking towards her.

Jennifer put the little thing down, glaring at Snow White.

To prevent her from attacking again, Cinderella quickly took the cross bow from Snow White and shot it at Jennifer's other shoulder. The vampire went down easily. Quickly Charming and Thomas took her and pushed her into Rumplestiltskin's cage, locking it back. Rumplestiltskin had no words—or maybe, he could not say anything. He placed his hands over Jennifer's shoulder and stomach and what little magic he could produce, healed her.

Cinderella stopped at the cage, looking between Rumplestiltskin and Jennifer and to the both of him said shyly, "I'm...I'm sorry." And she quickly left before anything else could be said.

As the carriage pulled forward, going to place the both of them in the cell, Jennifer laid her head down on Rumplestiltskin's lap.

"You were pregnant?" Rumplestiltskin asked softly.

"4 weeks..." Jennifer whispered, her voice breaking. "I was going to tell you when you came back."

Rumplestiltskin exhaled deeply, combing his hand through her hair. He couldn't think of anything of comfort. He couldn't even tell her everything would be okay.

"The same reason why I couldn't let them keep you," Jennifer wept.

"I thought your vampirism made you barren," Rumplestiltskin said softly.

"I thought so too." Jennifer mumbled.

She turned on her back so her eyes looked up at him from his lap.

"Apparently, as bad as Dark Magic is...if you will it, it does what you want." Jennifer said quietly, smiling sadly at him.

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her saying, "Magic is emotion."

"It also comes with a price," Jennifer whispered. "I can't have one happy ending without sacrificing the other."

Rumplestiltskin pulled her to him and she lacked any kind of motivation to help. He had her rest his head on his chest, taking her arms and placing them around his waist. He didn't cry although a big part of him was hurting a great deal. Not just for the loss of yet another a child...a daughter this time around.

"I hope Regina casts this Curse of yours, Rumple." Jennifer uttered emotionally. "I hope she does. And when she does, I hope she hurts Snow White in the worst way possible."

"We will see," Rumplestiltskin told her. "But in a way, my dear, you did get what you wanted."

Jennifer stared at him incredulously, saying, "How?"

"You got yourself locked up in the same cage as me," Rumplestiltskin returned. "You never wanted to leave my side—and now you never will. Not even when the curse is enacted."

"But our child..."

"I know," Rumplestiltskin uttered. "It will hurt no matter what I say, Jennifer. But...we still have Baelfire. We'll find him, and we will be a family again. You, Bae, and me. Together like it should have been from the beginning."

Jennifer nodded, but her sadness remained.

"Out of curiosity," Rumplestiltskin said, "What were you going to name her?"

Jennifer paused a long moment before speaking in a voice softer than a whisper, "Lydia."


	18. The Ring's True Purpose

Rumplestiltskin sat on a large rock in the underground cell, watching Jennifer plow with all her might at the wooden-like bars. With all her vampire strength and fury, she couldn't penetrate it. But it wasn't for her lack of trying. They might as well had been cemented blocks covered in titanium. Rumplestiltskin leaned his back against the wall—or what could be described as a wall—and sighed deeply. He could have stopped her ten minutes ago...hell, he could have told her to stop 4 hours ago, but Jennifer's anger wasn't completely directed to being imprisoned. In fact, being stuck in a room with him 24/7 with nothing to occupy themselves but each other was practically her fantasy; and while she was more than happy to know she'd be with him for what might seem the end of the world, Rumplestiltskin knew just what matter fueled her rage and ailed her heart.

The loss of Lydia had taken its toll on her. And while Rumplestiltskin was also unhappy for the loss of what could have been his lovely daughter, he also knew that a child would distract them from finding Baelfire. A child would only have become yet another weakness and he already possessed two, too many. The dagger. And Jennifer.

"Will you stop?"

Rumplestiltskin and Jennifer's eyes both turned to the guard as he approached the cell, looking tiredly at her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Jennifer responded bitterly. "What the fuck are you truly bitching about, guard—or what are you really? A simple peasant walking around, holding a torch, wearing armor...if you call that armor."

The guard stared at her, probably having to absorb all those insults at a time.

"You're just making a lot of sounds," the guard told her in deep voice. "It's really distracting."

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry," Jennifer replied sarcastically. "Did I distract you from your do-nothing life? I'm so sorry...please, don't mind me. Go on."

The guard stared at her still.

"You keep staring at me, you're going to find yourself with two less eyes," Jennifer threatened, wrapping her fingers around the bars.

"Okay, back up!" The guard snapped.

"You back up!" Jennifer snarled.

"Will you just stop talking for once?"

"You stop talking for once," Jennifer retorted.

"Oh my gods...I can't believe they put me in charge."

"Now you're preaching to the choir," Jennifer told him loudly as the guard cursed under his breath.

Knowing a battle when he's lost one, the guard looked at her with the shaking of his head, rolled his eyes, and then turned around to walk away. Jennifer watched him leave, and turned to see Rumplestiltskin gazing at her with a great amount of amusement.

"Do you feel better, Dear?" Rumplestiltskin asked calmly.

Jennifer shook her head, crossing her arms.

"The shock of it will eventually pass," Rumplestiltskin reassured her.

"Being stuck underground is not what's making me mad," Jennifer uttered darkly, starting to pace back and forth.

"It's the child's death," Rumplestiltskin told her knowingly.

Jennifer looked at him incredulously, saying, "How can you say it so casually?"

"It happens," said Rumplestiltskin, leaning forward. "It wasn't your fault—"

"—I reacted stupidly, though." Jennifer cut him off. "I shouldn't have tried to take on Charming or Snow White or that...that little munchkin..."

"Dwarf," Rumplestiltskin corrected.

"Whatever," Jennifer muttered, waving her hand. "I knew I wasn't in the right form to fight, but when they put you in that cage...when I saw what they did..." She put her hands on the bars again, looking out into the tunnel and seeing nothing for what she was searching.

"You reacted," Rumplestiltskin said, standing to his feet, "in the same way any mother-to-be would have reacted."

She felt his hands hold her arms, and he turned her so she looked at him. Jennifer always expected to see something of disappointment but inside his eyes loomed the reflected pools of empathy and understanding.

"I can understand more than anyone else why you chose to fight," Rumplestiltskin whispered gently. "You didn't want our child growing up without knowing her father..." He touched her belly which had healed as expected through magic but there would always be a faint scar from where the stake had made its mark.

"But we could have had what we wanted." Jennifer whispered. "We could have had everything."

"We will have everything," Rumplestiltskin told her.

"In this land without magic, how can I bear another child, Rumple?"

"How were you able to do it before?" Rumplestiltskin returned.

Jennifer shrugged, saying, "I don't know. I just remember wishing so hard for our own child. I will be more than happy—deliriously enchanted, even—when we finally find Baelfire. But Rumple, we still have missed out on so much, darling. We missed Bae finding a girlfriend. We missed him getting married—if he is married—and I just wanted so much for this one. And Snow White...She...she."

Rumplestiltskin pulled Jennifer to him when she began to breathe a lot deeper than usual and he had seen the familiar glint of yellow inside her eyes. When he embraced her, she slowly began to calm again.

"The ring I gave you," Rumplestiltskin said, taking her left hand in his, revealing the dark band with the swirling red pixie dust inside, "is more than just a gift for you to walk in the sunlight, dearie."

"But you said..."

"All the things I said are true," Rumplestiltskin reassured. "By wearing this, you hold a part of me very close to your heart—figuratively speaking, and very literally."

Jennifer stared at him with disbelief.

"I'm the Dark One," Rumplestiltskin said, holding up his hands to indicate himself proudly. "I can do just about anything, even putting a little of my dark magic inside my beautiful wife who wants nothing more than to make my happy endings hers as well. I wasn't just being poetic when I told you that you have become a part of me, Love."

"But it's only a ring," Jennifer told him, looking at her wedding band.

"Oh, it's so much more than that."

"How so?"

"While you've been wearing it, you have been sharing about 1/8 of my power. You share something with me that the power reacts to."

"And that is?"

"Darkness, well...and love. Those two things mix, things get a little crazy" Rumplestiltskin said. " And the power I invested in that ring on your finger has become more than just a simple decoration or an easement for you to walk about in the sunlight; it has defied every law to which vampires have, for centuries, been bound. You can't take a simple thing like that and expect the Laws of Nature not to fight back. ""

""So you gave me a wedding ring that has been giving me an eighth of the Dark One's power, enabling me to do what no vampire has ever done, making me more powerful than I am technically allowed to be?" Jennifer questioned pointedly.

"Long story, short, yes."

"So, how does that work with the Dagger business?"

"You're not the Dark One, so you cannot be controlled by the dagger," Rumplestiltskin told her.

"Well, that's a relief."

"But I also designed it that way," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's see if I can put it to you in a form you can understand." He paused a moment despite Jennifer's unblinking gaze. "Have you noticed how easily you respond to me? How you calm down when I simply touch you."

"I've noticed," Jennifer returned, nodding "And I have also noticed that the longer I am around you, I feel stronger, faster, and more powerful. Does that have something to do with this ring?"

"In a matter of speaking," Rumplestiltskin returned.

"Well, that's good, isn't it?"

"With the good," Rumplestiltskin told her gently, "You must accept the bad."

"And that is?"

"Well, here's a hint: You've been doing what I ask a great deal more than what you've done many years ago."

"Hold on a second..." Jennifer uttered quietly. "Wait..a...second..."

Rumplestiltskin folded his hands in front of him as she came to the realization.

"I'm not controlled by the dagger," Jennifer whispered darkly. "Because I'm controlled by you."

Rumplestiltskin held his arms in response to her revelation.

"Unfortunately," Rumplestiltskin said softly, "That is the price one pays when a vampire wishes to walk in the sun by day, and be as powerful as the Dark One."

"That's fucking ridiculous," Jennifer uttered coldly. "I never asked to become as powerful as you, Rumple."

"Fair enough—you didn't have to ask; but I simply needed you to be." Rumplestiltskin responded smoothly.

"WHY?" Jennifer shouted suddenly.

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her.

"You mean a great deal to me, Jennifer. Despite everything that has ever happened between us," Rumplestiltskin said lightly, "You have always come back. Love and loyalty in this world—and most likely the next—is extremely hard to come by, dearie. I needed you to be just as powerful as me because I want nothing to happen to you. And should this next land be different, I wanted to be absolutely sure we would not be separated. The wedding ring you wear has connected you to me...permanently. The price is subservience."

Jennifer stared incredulously at him, but she seemed to allow him to explain before went off.

He continued, bearing his soul.

"I may have to be tied to the dagger and run into the chance of someone forcing me to do their dirty work, but I will never allow them to control you. You have become my weakness, Jennifer. And as much as I hate to admit it...aloud...I need you with me, always. This Curse will rip away everyone's happiness, give everyone false memories of one another. Even in a cursed world, I forbid you to even falsely remember being with anyone else besides me. I want no one else to have you, and I will not allow this Curse to remove your memories of me—us. This was the only way to do it. ." Rumplestiltskin said.

Jennifer continued to stare at him as though she had been betrayed several times over. Being unknowingly forced to become a servant under the man she loved had never been in the cards for her. She turned from him, looking at the wedding band with uncertainty. She could try to take it off, but...

Jennifer couldn't find the means to do so.

Jennifer saw Rumplestiltskin searching her eyes. It wasn't the Dark One to whom she spoke. It was the boy whose father had abandoned him. It was the man who had crawled back home to hear his wife call him a coward and hold a bitter taste in her mouth whenever she said his name. It was Rumplestiltskin, who had tried to get his wife back from the pirates and had to go home and tell his son that his mother had been kidnapped and was likely dead. And, Jennifer knew, it was the man who had taken the power of the last Dark One in order to be brave enough to protect his son from further harm. And despite all of this, Jennifer had been his one true ally.

Jennifer finally spoke.

"You placed Dark Magic inside me so I can have a child I desperately wanted, to walk in the sun that I thought I would never see again, and so you can be sure that no one—not even the one who commands you, not even the Curse of all Curses—can ever take me away from you. And..." She whispered, "You did all this without my consent. Without my approval."

Rumplestiltskin watched her carefully.

Jennifer suddenly smiled.

"I love you for it." she said.

"You've accepted this all rather...quickly." Rumplestiltskin said, watching her turn to the bars and start whacking away at them with her foot.

"Well, how I see it." Jennifer said, looking at him. "You love me so much that you can hardly bear the thought of someone turning me from you—to rip me away from you. The idea of me seeing you and not remembering you is a fate worse than death. And that's the most romantic thing you have ever done for me, Rumple. Personally, I think this evens the grounds because I.." she put her arms around his neck "Feel the exact same way about you."

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her.

Jennifer uttered offhandedly,"Although, I'm starting to wonder if our jealousy is getting the best of us. Dark Magic, subservience."

"Riddle in this, riddle in that," Rumplestiltskin returned, chuckling. "Does it really matter?"

"Nah." Jennifer said, shaking her head. "This entire realm can burn from the ground and up. As long as I am with you, my love, I don't give a damn."

Rumplestiltskin kissed her lightly on the lips; she parted them so he deepened the kiss.

"I love you, Jennifer."

"And I love you too, Rumples."


	19. A Prophecy Spoken

Chapter 19: A Prophecy Spoken

Jennifer lied on her back, looking up at the dirt ceiling, her head in Rumplestiltskin's lap. He was combing his fingers through her hair while the other held her hand. They had sat like this in silence for the past several hours, just thinking, just enjoying the other lover's presence. She'd become reasonably silent as she thought of what the land would look like without any magic. It would be unfamiliar, but at least she would retain her memories.

Or was that a good thing, really?

"I met him," Jennifer mumbled softly, her eyes shifting from the ceiling to Rumplestiltskin, who looked at her curiously.

"Who?"

"The man that took Milah," Jennifer returned.

Rumplestiltskin looked a bit stumped, stopping the stroking of her hair and then after some time, he continued as though he didn't just appear to be stunned.

"When?" he asked.

"Some years ago," she responded. "While you were teaching Regina one of your longer lessons, I went out looking for my mother, but I didn't find her. I grabbed a drink before I came back home."

"Mmhmm..."

"And I saw him." Jennifer said.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"Of course not—I didn't allow that to happen." Jennifer uttered softly. "He's a bit a flirt though."

Rumplestiltskin stopped stroking her hair completely, looking down at her unhappily.

"Why are you telling me this?" he questioned.

"I wanted you to know," Jennifer stated.

"Did you...like this pirate?" asked Rumplestiltskin, his tone was eerily calm.

"No. A pretty face is all he has. He couldn't have stolen my heart, no matter how hard he tried." Jennifer reassured.

Rumplestiltskin seemed to relax again. She sat up, and without a spoken word, Jennifer framed his jaw with her hands and kissed him. A lot harder than what might have been intended. There was an urgency in the way she kissed, as though there was not enough time spent between them to convey just how much she loved him. Rumplestiltskin pulled away from her.

"Jennifer, you don't have to say good-bye; we'll be together even after the Curse happens."

"How can you be sure?" Jennifer whispered. "I can retain my memories—since I'm obviously now a literal part of you—but how will I know for sure that I will be with you? This Curse is designed to rip away our happiness. My happiness is you. That can only mean that you'll be torn from me."

Rumplestiltskin understood her concern. Sure, they were in this cell together but that wasn't to say that after the Enchanted Forest gobbled them up and spit them out into the Land Without Magic that they would still be physically together. Not only would he have Baelfire to search for, he'd also be having to look for his True Love, for whom he could most certainly not live without.

"I'll find a way, my heart," Rumplestiltskin reassured her softly.

"You will?" Jennifer said, smiling at him.

"Dark One always finds a way."

They kissed again, but this time, Jennifer was more relaxed. Her mouth pressed against his upper lip, her tongue teasing him. When he kissed her back, she parted her lips for the invitation, and he more than happily obliged. Rumplestiltskin felt her body radiating heat as the kiss became deeper. He moved Jennifer on her back, and she emitted a dark, soft laugh that vibrated his entire being.

Jennifer felt his hands move up her dress, brushing the material above her panty lines so he could trace his fingertips slowly up and down the nakedness of her pale flesh. As he did this, Jennifer unbuttoned the front of his tunic, sliding her hands over the skin that became exposed...and neither of them broke the kiss between them.

"RUMPLESTILTSKIN!"

Jennifer scowled and she heard Rumplestiltskin sigh irritably.

"RUMPLESTILTSKIN!" the guard was heard shouting again.

"Isn't that always the way," Rumplestiltskin said sardonically, "You get in the mood and company shows up."

Jennifer and Rumplestiltskin stood to their feet. The guard shouted, "I HAVE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION!"

"Nooo," Rumplestiltskin uttered softly. "You don't. They do."

Jennifer saw two figures approaching with hoods over their heads, accompanied by the guard. Rumplestiltskin approached the cell, placing his hands on the bars, smiling.

"You insult me," Rumplestiltskin said pointedly. "Snow White and...Prince Charming. Now come on, take off those ridiculous robes."

Snow White and Prince Charming did so. Rumplestiltskin glanced behind him when Jennifer emitted a deep growl similar to what they'd all heard before. Snow White instinctively took a step back.

The guard began to speak, "They've come to ask—"

"YES YES I know why they are here!" Rumplestiltskin interrupted him. In a softer tone, he said, "You wanna know about the Queen's threat."

"Tell us what you know," demanded Snow.

"oohh," Rumplestiltskin drawled, "Tense, aren't we."

Snow White and Charming glanced at him uncertainly, then both warily to Jennifer who remained in the background, smirking at them. She simply sat on the large rock which had become something of a chair to them, crossing her legs, and watching unblinkingly at Snow White, who was very aware of Jennifer's unceasing glare. She glanced at Charming, who simply stood a little ways in front of her. Even with the cell imprisoning both Rumplestiltskin and Jennifer, Charming and Snow White were very much afraid.

This made Jennifer smile.

"Fear not," Rumplestiltskin said cheerily, "For I can ease your mind. But!" He held the bars, smiling at them. "It is going to cost you something in return."

"We're wasting our time," Charming whispered urgently.

"What do you want," Snow White overruled, stepping forward.

Rumplestiltskin smirked at her.

"Oh," he said, "the name of your unborn child?"

"Absolutely not!" Charming protested.

But once more, Snow White overruled, saying, "Deal! What do you know?"

More than satisfied with Snow's quick deal making, Rumplestiltskin sighed happily, and spoke. As he did, Jennifer listened. Although she had already known what the Curse entailed, there was still some of it she had not heard.

"How can we stop it?" Snow White asked.

"We can't do anything," Rumplestiltskin giggled.

"Who can?" she questioned.

"That thing," Rumplestiltskin answered slowly, reaching his hand out to touch Snow's stomach, "growing inside your belly."

Charming reacted; he smacked Rumplestiltskin's hand from his wife with the flat end of his sword, threatening, "Next time, I cut it off."

Jennifer hissed, stepping forward but Rumplestiltskin held his other hand up, indicating that the situation was still fine and she didn't have to be feel too overprotective. Charming and Snow glanced past Rumplestiltskin to see Jennifer sit back down, her eyes still holding the unblinking stare. It was quite unsettling. However, Rumplestiltskin pulled their attention away by speaking.

"Get the child to safety," Rumplestiltskin told them. He leaned further, saying, "Get the child to safety and on its 28th birthday...the child will return. The child will find you. And the final battle will begin." And then after, he started giggling like mad.

The conversation seemed to have ended there, and Jennifer watched as Charming told Snow White that he had heard enough, pulling her from the cage so they'd start walking back. Rumplestiltskin suddenly became enraged, demanding they had a deal and he wanted the child's name.

"WE HAD A DEAL! I WANT HER NAME! I WANT HER NAME! GIVE ME HER NAME!"

"Her?" Charming said over their shoulder, "It's a boy. Come on, Snow."

"Missy, missyyyy," cooed Rumplestiltskin, calming down. "You know I am right, don't you? Come on...what's her name?"

With much reluctance but knowing that she couldn't go back on the deal, Snow slowly turned around and said softly, "Emma. Her name is Emma."

Charming whisked his wife away so they could do whatever they thought needed to be done, heeding Rumplestiltskin's advice. As they walked away, the guard casting looks at the Dark couple, Rumplestiltskin repeated the child's name: "Emma."

Jennifer frowned.

"So they can have a daughter, and I can't?" Jennifer uttered grumpily. "Where's the fairness in that?"

Rumplestiltskin turned around to look at her. She looked awfully unhappy.

"Don't worry, dearie," Rumplestiltskin mused, strolling towards her.

Jennifer looked up at him as he stood before her.

"I don't get to have any memories with my child, Rumple, but the woman whose taken my own gets to have hers? I'm not worried. I'm angry."

"Well, here's something to calm that storm dwelling in your heart," Rumplestiltskin said, kneeling before her.

Jennifer watched him take her hands in his.

"Snow White and her Prince Charming will have made no happy memories with their child either," he offered to her softly. "You can take comfort in the fact that when the Savior does return, those two will have to work hard to be the parents she never had. And there's not a feeling that can make a child feel more distant to a parent than abandonment."

Jennifer smiled sadly, saying, "That's comforting, darling. But then we will have to face the same with Baelfire."

Rumplestiltskin shrugged, saying, "We'll find a solution to that problem when we get to it."

"We'll find one?" asked Jennifer, smirking.

"What?" asked Rumplestiltskin, curious to her question.

"You've always said 'you' will find a way. Never 'we'."

"Well," Rumplestiltskin stated, "the way I see it—I could do it by myself but I'm starting to think that I'll never be rid of you."

"Nope!" Jennifer sang, winking. "You're stuck with me for life."

"I thought so," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"You know you're happy about that," Jennifer returned knowingly.

"I'm not unhappy."

Jennifer giggled and he kissed her. And she kissed him back.


	20. A Curse Is Coming

Chapter 20: The Curse Is Coming

"Marry, fuck, or kill," Jennifer uttered. "Your choices are Snow White, Cinderella, and Me. Go!"

Rumplestiltskin stared at Jennifer as though she had lost her mind.

"You must be getting extremely bored," Rumplestiltskin told her.

He had been leaning against the cell, his fingers wrapped around the bars anticipating a visit from someone, but never told Jennifer whom. She had her back against the wall, her arms crossed staring at the ceiling until she suddenly thought of the game.

"It's an easy choice." Jennifer told him.

"Is it?" Rumplestiltskin responded, turning his head to look at her. "I do enjoy choices, but I know a bad one when I see one."

"Just answer the question," Jennifer insisted. "I'm not going to get mad."

"I know you a lot better than that, dearie," Rumplestiltskin chuckled. "And out of self-preservation, I'm going to pass."

"Fine—I'll just make the decision harder," Jennifer warned.

Rumplestiltskin turned to her completely.

"How so?"

"Look: It's not like I asked you to choose between Zelena, Cora, and myself."

"List all the women you wish," Rumplestiltskin mused, walking towards her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and and as she moved into him, her arms snaked around his neck. "No matter how many other candidates involved, I will always choose you, Love."

"Good answer. Do you want to ask me the same kind of question?"

"I'm afraid not," Rumplestiltskin told her.

"Why?" Jennifer asked. "Do you think my answer would change?"

"I already know the answer," Rumplestiltskin responded.

"You've been seeing into the future, haven't you?" Jennifer presumed.

"I can't see the future when it concerns you, Jennifer." Rumplestiltskin said lightly. "But I don't have to."

Jennifer mewed, "As if you would need to."

The back-and-forth between them was almost melodic. They were so in sync with the other, Rumplestiltskin felt as though he might as well had been talking to himself. They smiled at one another, and softly kissed. As always, the soft kiss evolved into furious snogging. Jennifer giggled when he pushed her back against the wall, his hands lifting her dress up just enough where he could move them underneath. Despite the anticipation of knowing someone would be visiting, Rumplestiltskin wasn't in the mood to have another interruption.

Jennifer felt his hands pull down her undergarments and she was making quick do of his pants, exposing the source of his impatience and frustration. Sparing no time at all, Jennifer wrapped her legs around Rumplestiltskin's lower back as he gripped the back of her thighs, and they moaned loudly in relief as he pushed inside of her.

"Don't be gentle," Jennifer mumbled as he had started moving in and out of her slowly.

Rumplestiltskin kissed her neck, and his lips lifted in a crooked smile, hearing her impatience.

"As you wish," Rumplestiltskin conceded.

He whisked her away from the wall, and roughly moved her, her back slapping onto the ground roughly. An evil little smile appeared on her face when Rumplestiltskin moved between her legs and snatching her wandering hands, he pinned them above her head. Despite her being a vampire with the impressive strength of fifty men, Jennifer was consistently impressed how she could barely fight off the strength of the Dark One. No matter how she wriggled her body or wrung her wrists, Jennifer was incapable of escaping his restraint.

He gave no warning as he thrust inside her, burrowing deep all the way to the hilt, feeling her body react to him so violently as she tightened around him. Rumplestiltskin moaned deeply, a surge of pleasure hitting throughout his body like a lightning bolt. Jennifer whimpered, but when he watched her expression, she was animatedly intoxicated by the same bolt of ecstasy. Even after all these years that have passed, Rumplestiltskin was consistently discovering more things about Jennifer. This time around—he realized that she enjoyed pain.

"Don't stop," Jennifer begged.

Rumplestiltskin grabbed her hips and pulled her closer to him, her back dragging across the floor; Jennifer's back arched when he thrusted inside and just barely pulled out before he shoved every part of him back. Jennifer's soft whimpers transitioned into that of a woman breaking under torture, her voice cracking even as she said his name.

Even then, she begged for more.

Rumplestiltskin released her hands, placing one of his own around her throat. Jennifer exhaled a sinister laugh as he kept it there the entire time. Even though she was begging for her release, and he was all the more eager to give it to her, Rumplestiltskin remained in control. Jennifer was pleading with him, her hands touching every part of him she could, those nails digging through the material of his clothes, even tearing it.

When her responses became aggressive, Rumplestiltskin restrained her again, grabbing her wrists. But as soon as they both could go no longer, and they felt the crashing waves of pleasure roll throughout every part of their being, Rumplestiltskin and Jennifer's hands both joined, their fingers lacing together as they both enjoyed the release. Rumplestiltskin relished her non-stop moans, the sound exhaling from her swollen lips as her head was tilted back, her back arching...it was always a beautiful sight.

In the next hour that followed, Rumplestiltskin fixed himself up and glanced at the corner of the cage to see Jennifer lying on her side, facing him, sleeping. He then heard a few squeaks from a mouse, and he chuckled.

"We're alone, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said to the mouse. "You can show yourself!"

From outside the cell, a mouse that had been roaming around and squeaking a few minutes ago turned to purple smoke and became a beautiful woman with dark brown eyes, raven hair, and dressed in an ensemble meant for an Evil Queen, which was befitting, considering that it was Regina.

"Ah, much better." Rumplestiltskin uttered.

Regina tilted her head to the side, popping her neck. Notably, being a mouse must have been uncomfortable.

She stepped forward.

"That Curse you gave me. It's not working," Regina said, unraveling the scroll.

"Ahh, so worried. So, so, worried." Rumplestiltskin said as he tapped his finger tips together. "Like Snow and her wonderful new husband."

In the flattest of tones, Regina muttered, "What."

Excitedly, Rumplestiltskin stepped forward, wrapping his fingers around the bars as he informed, "They paid me a visit as well. They were very anxious. About you. And the Curse."

Regina scowled, meeting him at the bars and questioned: "What did you tell them?"

"I told them the truth, of course." Rumplestiltskin said pointedly. "That nothing can stop the Darkness. Except their unborn child..."

Regina stared at him, not exactly enthusiastic.

"You see, all Curses can be broken," Rumplestiltskin reminded. "And their child is the key. Of course...the Curse has to be enacted first."

"Tell me what I did wrong," Regina instructed quietly.

"For that," Rumplestiltskin returned, "there's a price."

Hearing all of this before, Regina immediately said, "What do you want?"

"Simple," returned Rumplestiltskin soothingly. "In this new land, I want comfort. I want a good life..."

"Fine. You'll have an estate," Regina finalized. "You'll be rich."

"I wasn't finished yet!" Rumplestiltskin implored, grinning. "There's more."

"There always is with you."

"Yeah," agreed Rumplestiltskin, chuckling. "In this new land, should I ever come to you for any reason. You must heed my every request, and you must do whatever I say. So long as I say, please!"

"You do realize that should I succeed, you won't remember any of this." Regina reminded, enhancing the big picture.

"Well, then, what's the harm?" Rumplestiltskin said pointedly.

"What about her?" Regina asked, glancing into the cage to see Jennifer turning in her sleep.

"She comes with me," Rumplestiltskin said.

"She's special to you, isn't she," Regina muttered.

"I think that would be quite obvious," Rumplestiltskin replied coolly.

Regina realized there was just a few details in this deal of his and she waited for him to continue.

"Whatever cursed memories you may place," Rumplestiltskin said, "she will still be married to me. Whatever story you so desire for ours to be, you will keep her with me."

"A lot of orders coming from someone imprisoned in an underground hole," Regina responded scathingly.

"It's the deal, dearie," Rumplestiltskin mused. "Do we have one or not?"

Regina glanced back at Jennifer as though she was uncertain.

"If it makes you feel any better," Rumplestiltskin offered with a smile, "Jennifer holds a personal vendetta against Snow White."

"Really?" asked Regina, suddenly more accommodating. "Why?"

"It's a personal matter," Rumplestiltskin returned protectively.

"Hmmm..." Regina hummed, looking at Jennifer as the vampire hissed in her sleep; whatever dream that woman was having seemed to either be a devilishly sadistic one or a really bad nightmare. Finally, Regina, considering the fact that having Rumplestiltskin's wife as an ally may be beneficial to her in the next land (should everything fail) was a nice perk, Regina agreed to the deal.

"What must I do to enact this Curse?" Regina asked after the deal was struck.

"You must sacrifice a heart," Rumplestiltskin replied.

"I sacrificed my prized steed." Regina said.

Suddenly, Rumplestiltskin shot towards her, clutching her neck and Regina stared at him a bit shocked and a flicker of intimidation glinted in her eyes before the calm set in.

Rumplestiltskin said coldly, "A horse? This is the Curse to end all Curses! You think a horse is going to do? With great power comes great sacrifice. The heart must come from something far more precious."

Regina said slowly, "Tell me what will suffice."

"The heart of the thing you love most," Rumplestiltskin said.

Angrily, Regina smacked his arm away, snarling, "What I love most died because of Snow White!"

"Oh...is there no one else you twuly love?" Rumplestiltskin cooed, tracing her cheek with the back of his fingers. "This curse isn't going to be easy. Vengeance never is, dearie. You have to ask yourself a simple question. How far are you willing to go."

Getting closer to the bars and declaring with the utmost determination, Regina responded, "Whatever it takes."

"Then please stop wasting everyone's time and just do it." Rumplestiltskin stated. "You know what you love. Now go kill it."

Regina looked at him a long time before she turned on her heel and strode away. Rumplestiltskin watched after her, smiling.

000

"You spoke to Regina?" asked Jennifer. "When?"

"You were asleep, Doll," Rumplestiltskin answered, smiling.

"And she agreed to your conditions?"

"Of course—she had no choice."

Jennifer leaned forward against the bars. Whatever this new land held, it had to be better than this cage. She was dirty, and feeling more and more like an animal being cooped up inside a dirt hole. Only adding her to entrapment was the knowledge that this Curse was happening.

"So despite the ring and me being a part of you," Jennifer uttered, "We all will still be cursed?"

Rumplestiltskin heard the helplessness in her voice. She turned to him when he didn't say anything.

"Will I know you?" asked Jennifer.

"Yes, in a matter of speaking." Rumplestiltskin told her.

"But I won't know who you truly are," said Jennifer. "I won't know me. That's a fate worse than death, Rumple. I thought I could retain my memories—my past...it's just going to be wiped clean?"

"Not exactly," Rumplestiltskin replied calmly. "The fun part about knowing a name is the power it can possess."

"What?"

"Emma," Rumplestiltskin clarified. "Whenever I hear her name, Jennifer, I will get my memories back. And, since I have made you a part of me, you will too."

"How does knowing Emma's name make a difference?" she questioned.

"Names are my book and trade, dearie," Rumplestiltskin mused. "I consider them quite important. It holds more power than anything...well, except True Love, of course."

Jennifer fidgeted with her hands. Anxiously, she glanced outside the cage as though expecting some horrific flames to burst through and destroy them all. What she expected, she didn't know for sure, except only for the worst. Rumplestiltskin took her hands in his, placing them on his chest; in return, Jennifer gazed at him.

"These cursed memories are our own," Rumplestiltskin reassured her. "You will still be married to me and although you won't remember who you are nor remember me, we will still be together."

"And in love?" Jennifer asked quietly.

Rumplestiltskin could hear her uncertainty; he said, "Even if you were torn from me and placed in a different realm at a different Time, you'll always come back to me, Jennifer. Never underestimate the power of True Love."

"What about me being a vampire?" asked Jennifer. "If I don't know what I am, I will just walk out in the sun one day and 'poof'!"

"Vampires don't exist in the Land Without Magic, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said.

"Then how will I survive?" Jennifer asked.

"That part of you will simply become non-existent as Time," Rumplestiltskin explained. "You'll live as you always have lived."

Jennifer joked, "I just won't tan."

"I'd say that is the least of your worries, Darling."

Jennifer smiled at Rumplestiltskin.

Then, they heard screaming above ground.

Jennifer wrapped her arms around his middle, whispering, "Don't let go."

He promised, "Never."

As the smoke began filling the tunnel, Jennifer and Rumplestiltskin told one another they loved each other. The black smoke filled the cage, engulfing, Jennifer, Rumplestiltskin, and the rest of the Enchanted Forest. No matter what happened, they would forever be together. Both of them would die before they were ever separated. And when the Savior returned 28 years later, their mission to find Baelfire would resume.

Jennifer and Rumplestiltskin would find their son.

End of Part 1


End file.
